America to the stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All righty. Tonight's meeting is being recorded on RCTV and uh broadcast as
well uh on Zoom. Uh at 7:05 we'll have public comment for any items on the agenda. 7:15 town manager report 720 community spotlight. 7:25 public hearing discuss and vote on fiscal year 26 tax classification. 7:55
discuss and vote on mystic regional emergency planning committee proclamation. 8 o'clock discuss and vote on a proclamation for the special education parental advisory committee CPAC awareness month. 8:05 public hearing discuss and vote on a transfer
of an annual wine and malt liquor license for Bangkok Spice. 8:15 discuss and potential vote on procurement options for the Pleasant Street Center. Uh 835 uh discuss not vote on an
amendment to select board policy section 3.2.2.14 hours of operation for uh permitted alcohol sales. 855 discussion vote on AMVTA letter 9 to5 uh November 1st select board retreat from this past
weekend. 9:15 select board layers zone reports 9:25 future agendas. 9:30 approved two sets of meeting minutes. And starting off, public comment, show of hands,
lots of you. I'll go in the corner first. Two minutes. Name and address, please. Thank you. >> Oh, and there will be a timer that plays beautiful music. >> Fantastic. >> 15 seconds. >> And Jane will raise a piece of paper when there's 15 seconds left. Awesome.
Uh Aaron Per 55 Hancock Street, member of the RTC, the writing turn back to our commission or committee. Um figured that I didn't see enough MBTA related stuff on the agenda tonight. So if you're going to come down and and talk about that a minute. Um I really just wanted to start off again and
publicly thank the select board for the continued leadership and the unanimous 50 vote um opposing the proposed turnback track location at the um special select board meeting last week. I really think that that action sent a strong and united message to the MBTA and to our community. Um and and it
sends a message that the town of Reading stands with its residents in protecting our neighborhoods, the wetlands, and our quality of life. I know that there's a um an agenda item tonight to review uh the draft letter uh to be send to the MBTA leadership, and I'd respectfully
like to ask that the board consider one additional action uh along with that. If the MBTA chooses to move forward with its current notice of intent and does not withdraw, I'd like to formally request that the town consider making the Reading Town Council available to
the Reading Turnback Track Committee. Specifically, we'd be resting u requesting the council's assistance in preparing an appeal based on the statement of conditions and exploring a failsafe review to ensure that procedural and environmental safeguards
um that are available to the town are fully exercised. So, this again would be another meaningful opportunity for the town to continue to show up for the thousands of residents who have been engaged, informed, and vocal in their opposition to the proposed turnback track. And it would demonstrate that
writing is not only united in principle but also proactive in action using every tool at its disposal to ensure the right outcome for the community. Thank you. Thank you. Who else? Next, Simone.
Two minutes name and address, please. >> Good evening. Simone payment 8 Street. I'm here representing the Reading Food Pantry. Uh first I want to say just thank you to the writing community that has been just absolutely amazing to us in the past week starting before we even
made any requests or announcements about potential non-funding of SNAP. The community just completely rallied and uh we've just been blown away by the um donations of money and offers of help of so many
kinds. And we had 50 boxes from Amazon waiting for us just yesterday morning and many more last week and and today. Uh so we really want to thank everyone for showing up for us and for our running residents who need help with
food assistance and we welcome anyone to continue to come. Um visit us just one time, visit us multiple times. We're happy to help anyone who needs it. um all of the donations that we've received
and the potential um expanded use of the pantry kind of highlights our challenges in our current space. So, um we're hoping that um you all will discuss tonight the potential of keeping the Pleasant Strength Pleasant Street Center
for use um of the town of Reading, including potentially groups like the Reading Food Pantry and other groups in town who could use the space to do great things for all the residents of Reading. So, thank you for your time tonight.
Thanks, Andrew. >> Hello, Andrew Gregory. Pleasant Street shrink down a little bit. Um, just wanted to say that I've been somewhat disappointed with how uh this board has been run ever since Mark
stepped down as chair. Um, meetings have obviously gone a lot longer than anticipated and generally just haven't run very smoothly. Uh, so I would very much recommend that the chair pick up a copy of Robert's rules of order and uh, learn how to run a meeting in an
efficient manner. Thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks, Angela. >> Thank you, >> Angela Benda. Orchard Park Drive. Um, self-reflection is important because it
enhances self-awareness, improves decision making, and drives professional growth by providing clarity of one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It helps individuals learn from their mistakes. A retreat is a great place for reflection. I attended the retreat last
Saturday, and this is what I observed. First, I'd like to thank the town manager and the assistant town manager for accommodating me, even including me in lunch. It was very much appreciated. Select board member Karen Rose Gillis was positive. Spoke of moving forward
and advocating for select board members to take a less defensive posture to try to understand other board members perspective. For select board members Melissa Murphy, Carla Bach, and Chris Haley, the first hour was a gripe guest, repeatedly
attacking select board member Karen Heric, who is not present. The lack of accountability with their own bad behavior and lack of self-awareness was astonishing. Miss Murphy stated, I'm quoting, "In the years I've been paying attention, I've
never seen anyone as disrespectful to the chair." Referring to select board member Heric, she stated, "If they don't get their way, they stormed out." Miss Murphy is forgetting the meeting where select board member Carlo Bachi didn't
get his way and stormed out of a meeting in progress along with Chair Haley. Here's a chronicle. Here's Slack board member Pearlachi storming out of a meeting. Slackboard chair stated, select
board chair Haley stated in reference, I believe, to a point of order commented by Miss Heric. Even when Mark Der was chair, we were respectful. We were still respectful. Here is Mr. Hilly accusing.
>> Thank you. Take it up. >> Anybody else? Raise your hand. Yep. Erin Kalabashi, 494 Main Street. I have to leave for a meeting, so I respectfully ask that I speak in regards
to the tax discussion that you're going to be having because I will not be able to speak on it later. So, as a small business owner and as a member of the retail association of Massachusetts and I serve on the Small Business
Steering Committee with the National Retail Federation, I just want you to be aware that today there was a study that was put out and it was a survey done by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts in regards to the business confidence
that is very low to the levels of where we were during COVID. And for those reasons, on top of our increasing costs to run businesses, everything from our supplies to our health insurance, our
payroll, I ask that you please consider keeping the tax rate as it is and possibly even lowering it because the local businesses here in this community support the local community through offering jobs as well as a lot of
philanthropy. for the community. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else in the room? >> Go ahead, Jeffrey Deetsz. Um Timber Park Drive. Um I also uh was made aware of the at the
retreat um when uh the select board chair stated in reference to point of order comments by Miss Heric even when Mark was chair we were respectful we were still respectful yet you Mr. Haley falsely accused the chair at the time of
the crime of blackmail. former select court sad doctor vehemently denied your false accusations and you never apologized to him yet you say we were respectful of each other. I don't know in what alternate universe is accusing somebody of a crime being respectful and
how does that even begin to equate to a colleague merely calling a point of order and the advice that Mr. nutting may have given all of you was tainted by your false representations and distortions and and the tips that he gave you regarding checking your own behavior appear to have gone right over
your head. Except for Merkillis, you ex exhibited no self-reflection and refused to acknowledge your own bad behavior. Select board members need to do better. The town is tired of the divisiveness. It's truly a missed opportunity. Thank you.
>> Anybody else in the room? Anybody online? Maddie. Is Maddie on? Who's Maddie? >> Okay. Anyone online, Maddie? >> No. Hands on Zoom. Okie dokie. We will move on to 7:15 town manager report.
>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, as people might uh be aware on october 28th, we held our connected reading event at the library. This was a community open house for all residents and by all account it was very successful. I think the residents really
appreciated that we had this once again and I was there and personally enjoyed meeting with the residents and nonprofit leaders and talking about the state of the town. It went by like that even though it was a couple hours long. So I already look forward to doing that again next year. Um it's a really great event
for our town. Next week, obviously, it's Veterans Day and our Veterans Day ceremony will again take place on November 11th um at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial Park. So, please plan to be there and honor our veterans. I think the weather is looking okay, maybe a
little on the cold side, so please dress appropriately. We are going to try to have it outside of the park in case it's really, really bad weather. So, um hope to see everybody there next week on Veterans Day. And already as we enter enter into the
holiday season, um shop the block is coming up. It's a little later this year, it's in December, uh because of the lateness of Thanksgiving. Um but the event will be held again in downtown Reading on Thursday, December 4th from 5 to 9:00 p.m. Um so please come down and
support the local businesses on that night. It's a big night for them and it's also a lot of fun, quite frankly. So hope to see a lot of people there. um has, as has been reported, we've recently had a visit from Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro in a good way.
Um he came to town hall as part of his listening tour and he met with me and Jane and members of my procurement team here. He reported uh to me that he was very impressed by our operation here in Reading and I also did take the opportunity to to speak with him and brief him on the issues we've had with
the MBTA regarding the turnback track and he was very receptive to listening to that. Um I've heard from him actually several times since the meeting. He's given us a lot of great information and feedback and resources provided by his office and I plan um to have an ongoing
connection with him and his office going forward. It was really nice for him to come out and meet with us right in Reading. And as people might have told, we had some really excellent news last week. Reading is receiving a $100,000 park grant from the state to help with the
construction of our new pickle ball courts. Um, I received a personal call from the office of energy and environmental affairs affairs secretary Rebecca Tapper Tapper to inform me of the grant. Um, I was very excited about it. She was very excited about it. So, a
big thank you to everybody involved in that grant. It's going to make a big difference. So, thank you to the state, the town hall professional team, and also to our volunteers that continue to work hard on that project. And I hope we have more news in the next meeting about maybe some more um grants and whatnot
going forward. But that is my report for tonight. >> Thanks, Matt. Jane, did you have anything or >> really briefly? >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I wanted to let the community know that we have updated the Birch Meadow Park project page on the website. If you go to the
readingmma.gov improving reading page, it's on the residents drop-down list. You'll find um a summary of all of our projects that are ongoing right now and the updates and periodically. Um, Meadow has received its playground equipment has just come in and we'll be posting um
a Facebook update tomorrow but with pictures and we have some pictures on the website. Um, we'll continue to do that. I also want to thank um folks who came out for our Eastern Gateway um uh workshop that we had last week which was
very well attended um and an enthusiastic um group. I only saw a video that one of our consultants posted and so we're going to try and put that up on Facebook as well, but it's up on LinkedIn. So, thank you very much.
>> Thanks, Shane. All right, Matt. Community spotlight. Community spotlight. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Tonight I have two spotlights. Um, one on an employee and one on a local business. Um, the employee is Officer Armor Hassan of the Reading Police Department who has
been nominated and I just found out recently will be receiving um the AAA uh safety hero award from AAA this year. Um, this is a prestigious honor for our police department and for him personally. It recognizes his
outstanding uh viligence in enforcing traffic laws um in particularly violations involving unregistered and uninsured vehicles. Officer Hassan has conducted over 600 traffic stops in 2024 and 25 and that contributed
significantly to motor vehicle law enforcement. Um he is he's been very proactive. his ef his efforts don't only target criminal behavior, but also he really likes to focus on public education, making the public aware of
driving safely. Um, he strives to inform drivers and enhance road safety throughout Reading. So, congrats to Officer Assan Assan on his award. I think the ceremony is actually tomorrow, so we'll get some pictures of that and be posting that. Um, but thank you to
him and the entire police department for all they do to keep us safe on on those roads out there. So, and also a business uh spotlight tonight. The Tim Bucket, believe it or not, is celebrating 10 years in downtown Reading, and really
time flies. I can't imagine it's been that long, but it has. Um, for those of you that don't know, the Tim Bucket is a creative space and a retail shop where you'll be able to find unique a unique selection of curated goods uh for gifting or for your own home. I love
their motto. It's be creative, buy creative, which I wish I would have thought of that myself. That's a great motto. Um, Pam Kading and her team has have done an excellent job putting downtown Reading on the map as a cultural destination. Um, not only do
they do sales and classes, but now they're adding live music with a performance on this Saturday night um, at the shop that will com commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 10 Tim Bucket. So, they're adding music to their repertoire. Um, so congratulations
to Pam and the Tim Bucket and best of luck and we wish you many, many more years in downtown Reading. So, thank you. >> Thanks, Matt. All right, moving on to 7:25. a public hearing in which I will be recusing
myself due to the appearance of a conflict of interest. Um I own a business and running commercial property. Uh I will also be recusing myself but attending the public hearing as a resident and then when the board
discusses uh the tax classification I will leave the room and come back when it's time to vote on the residential factor. Do we have a motion to open the hearing? >> I have move to open the hearing for the um tax
classification. >> Second. Um all those in favor? >> All right. Victor, do you want to add in Am I supposed to read the notice? >> Generally, you read the hearing notice if you have notice if you have it. >> I do. >> Okay, perfect.
>> Okay. >> Um to the inhabitants of the town of Reading, notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held in accordance with the Massachusetts General Laws chapter 369 of the acts of 1982 on the issue of determining a residential factor and assessing the
percentage of tax burden to be borne by each class of property for fiscal year 2026. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 at 7 p.m. in the select board meeting room at town hall 16 LOL Street Reading House and remotely on Zoom. The five classes of
property involved are residential, open space, commercial, industrial, and personal property. A copy of the proposed document regarding this topic will be available in the select word packet on the website at www.reingmma.gov. All interested parties are invited to
attend the hearing or may submit their comments in writing or by email to town manager at writingmma.gov by order of Matthew a cronellis esquuire town manager. >> Okay, Victor, do you have anything to add from your presentation at our last meeting?
>> Uh, I'll be brief. No. >> Okay. >> To answer any questions you might have come up. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Does the board want to add anything before we allow the public to make comments or do you want me to open it up to public comment or do you have anything
that you'd like to add at this time? >> I think we talk first and then we finish. >> I Yeah, that's what I'm saying. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I'm asking you. >> Okay. So, you weren't clear either. >> Oh, you know what? I should turn this on. Who wants to go first? You go first. >> Okay. Um,
so you know, interestingly, it's this it's the same situation every year since I've been on the board in 20120 is when I joined the board. Um we have seen um residential real estate values go through the roof and our taxes
go through the roof accordingly and um our our commercial base pretty much stays stable um at the percentage that it is. And but what we're what we're seeing is that um the residents are shouldering more and
more of the tax burden and um and the way we currently do the split tax rate doesn't even increase the commercial and residential um factors by the same amount and not factors but what I would like to see as
as a select board member is is I've always been about fairness. I want to see members, all taxpayers in the community fairly sharing the load of um keeping our sewers running, keeping fire and police going, replacing our um
sidewalks and streets, um paying for staff, all of that needs to be shared equally. And so the way we have to do that is by continuing with the split tax rate. And as we talked last week, um, you know, the the impetus for
finally cracking open that door was that we wanted to do right by our seniors as best we can. And we discussed this circuit breaker doesn't help as many people as it as it could because of its own programmatic limitations.
But that is the reason for the initial split. And it looks like that if we move the um if we move the tax split to 1.2 or 1.21 21
from 1.11 which is relatively small. We will not only still be the cheapest place around to own commercial property um but we will roughly equivalent equivalently see everyone's tax burden go up to pay
for all these important services that we deliver. So so that's something it doesn't make up for all of the years past when the residents took on more of the burden. Um, and that is nicely outlined in our assessor's um, uh,
packet information that everybody can see. So, so we can't make up for what we haven't been able to do in the past, but you know, each year we have the opportunity to do the right thing. We have residents in Reading that have been furled. We heard from the food pantry for the second year in a row that their
clients um, their client base is increasing like crazy. And um I'm a small business person and I got an annual bill in the mail today and guess what? It went up 20%. So So I understand and and and
we're all going to see increases in our insurance um you know across the board. It's kind of the world we live in. But it's it is really important that we as a board um where we're embarking on these projects
um that we in advance of a potential override in the next 18 months that we do what we can to make things equitable. And um I would also say even before an override, we're going to start seeing the um
the debt exclusions for our new school and our recal center hitting our tax bills probably next July. So So I would ask at this point that we we strive for a 1.2 or 1.21. And I will share with the
audience that the select board received um letters from three residents, volunteers, former town meeting members also encouraging the select board to please do that. Um one specifically said the same number as me,
the other came close, but you know people people are watching and everybody is is feeling the pain and um so that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do you want to add Um, I think she Karen covered it really,
really well from my point of view. I think in a perfect world, 1.2 would be great and even a little bit higher. I do want to I I learned a lot from Victor when he gave me my private lesson. And I think um I kind of think what we're missing is
a strategy for increasing the rates and not jumping from 1.11 to 1.2 or 1.21 in one year. So, I feel like I've watched a lot of meetings the last of a couple days and I feel like if we have a strategy from where we are now to where
we want to get to and a pretty condensed period of time in order to do that, I think this is the time to start that. And so, if we go up into incremental increments to get up to 1.2, I I think that might be an easier pill for people to swallow than just jumping
from now to 1.2 or 1.21. And so, if we think the goal is that we want to get to 1.2, to it still would be incredibly cheap taxes compared to the towns around us, >> but I'm not sure people are ready to jump right to 1.2 1.21. That being said, um I do think that we
should have kind of a strategy. There's no question everyone's prices are going up, businesses, residents, insurance, all of it. And so I think that this is the year that we need to take a step forward and not um it it's it's everybody's struggling.
Doesn't matter who we are. And I think that this is since the dead exclusion is not coming on right away. I think it's a good time to kind of give the residents a break and kind of increase the the commercial a little bit more. That's all I have to say.
>> Thank you. Um I think that I have a different thought and approach um to the increasing. Um I think that we do need to be fair to our residents and our businesses. Um, I think that the important thing to remember is that
Reading only has 191 um, commercial properties and I believe it's 85% of those properties are under or 60% are under two million dollars and 35 are valued over $2 million. So, it's very
small numbers of um, properties that are like those big outliers. And I think that that's why Victor suggests that we use that median number and not that average number because I think the average number really skews the reality of what reading looks like. Um so for me
jumping to one two or one is not something I would support. If we jumped from one one to one uh 21 I think we're saving if we went from today's number
which is 1.11 to 1.20 the homeowners save $69 and the commercial businesses have add $882 to on top of the increase which will then put them around $1,700 for the year. So,
for me, for those small businesses, that's a big hit. That is a major hit for those businesses that I just can't support doing that. Um, you know, our small businesses are local sole proprietor businesses. They're not
big corporations or, you know, big box stores. So, we really need to support them. They already have competition of online retailers. They have rising utilities as residents do. I understand that. But they pay trash removal that, you know, is built into taxes for
residents. They contribute to our community and our schools all the time. All the time. And they're going to take a big hit from these debt exclusions that will be added because their properties are valued well some of them are valued more and their rate is
higher. So these debt exclusions are going to hit them harder than it's going to hit the residents, too. And they don't actually all use those services. they won't use recal or the schools if they're not residents. So, they're taking all of these hits when they can't
vote for it, nor will they use it if they're not residents of the town. Now, some businesses owners are residents. So, I see that, but I think it's just not equitable actually to give a decrease of $69, which everyone
here would love a decrease in their taxes, and then to jump to a $1,700 and a median tax bill for a small business owner. I don't think that's equitable or fair. So, that's kind of my take on it. Um, I did get two emails supporting a
bigger increase. I didn't get three. Um, so I'm not sure who else reached out. There were two signatures on one email, so it's just three. >> Okay, fair. Um, but you know, for me, I just think that we need to do, like you said, we do need to come up with a strategy. Um, and I'm
hoping that the legislation will be changed soon. So, we can tax the bigger businesses differently than we tax our small businesses. But with our business community here and reading being so small, like I really have a hard time
jumping. I think we talk about our communities around us. So reading's percentage is 6.2 commercial businesses. Stonem's 9.3, Wakefield's 11, Andover is over 14, Wilmington's 25, and Ward's 26% businesses. Those are big differences.
That's why they have larger rates. um they they have a larger, you know, business pop, not population, but grouping to to be able to do the split or max out the split.
So, for me, I wouldn't support anything. I I mean I'd like to keep it the same, but I think the fair thing to do would be to move it to 1.12, which gives a little relief to residents of I think approximately
20 some odd dollars and a little increase in the businesses of like a hundred and something dollars up for them. I just think that we need to be careful because the last thing we want to do is push businesses out. And I'm not saying these sole b sole proprietor businesses we wouldn't be pushing them to other communities. We'd just be
folding them because they wouldn't be able to s be able to sustain their businesses. So that's my take. >> Yeah, absolutely. Please. >> So I think it's important though this this I I hear what you're saying and I I
agree that 1.21 into one is too big a split right now. But I think it's it's important to understand that in a perfect world um in a perfect world, your business is going to have your your taxes go up, which means you're going to pass it on
to your consumer, >> which is basically writing residence again. So they kind of get dinged all over the place. And so the the in a perfect world, all of our stores customers are from other towns as well. So spreading the burden to other towns that way seems to be a way of spreading
it out, not just to reading residents. You know what I mean? That's how I was kind of analyzing it, saying the hope is is that lots of people go to the dog store and lots of people from other towns. And so that's how you kind of take that onus off the resident and put it on people from other towns that way.
So I we're all going to get dinged because their prices are going to go up and we're the ones who are going to pay for it. So even if Do you know what I mean? So, I get it. It's and I I appreciate the analysis that that a lot of them may not live in Reading and the PE and the people that
do have businesses that also live in Reading, they're getting dinged all over the place. But it's not fair to say that particular owner doesn't get to use our services in Reading because they don't live here. Well, that's just the same if we had a business in Weakfield. We wouldn't, you know, you wouldn't do
that. So I think you know I would love to see something like increments of 1.11 now 1.13 this year 1.14 next year 1.1 you know what I mean increase to 002 this year you know what I mean kind of
staggered that way so we can eventually get to 1.2 too. >> I mean, our hope would be that if we build our business with like Easting Gateway or, you know, other commercial business, it would be easier to, you know, increase that. Also, if this
legislation supports these small businesses and allowing towns like Reading to split the tax rate for bigger businesses and smaller businesses, that's also another way that we can. Um, >> do you have any idea the status of that? >> I don't. I know Chris did some work on that, but maybe a public comment he'll
um bring it up, but I don't know where that's sitting. But I think that would help a lot of small towns. >> It would it would be a game changer for a lot of them. >> Yeah. >> But I don't think we can wait until then >> because we can always bring it down. I >> can't we >> can bring it down, but Victor's advise
us against that because then it's not stable to go up and down, right? if you're not giving and I don't think that would be to do that to the residents at this point would be bad too because if we went up this year and then realize we were hurting the businesses in
>> No, I mean when the big stores move in, you know what I mean? Like if it hasn't if the legislation hasn't changed by which a little bit then depending on what's going on. Yes, I absolutely believe then. But, you know, I just I feel like we have I think nine vacancies
currently with our commercial businesses here in Reading. Like, I don't want to do anything to push people away from thinking about coming to Reading. Um, I'd love to see our downtown be a little more vibrant. It, you know, it is in other communities.
>> I think people are looking at Reading's water rates more than their tax rate. Do you know what I mean? for as a business because our tax rates are pretty low. >> They are lower. Yeah. >> So I think >> lower than other communities, but all the surrounding communities have much higher commercial rates. The only
communities on the list that I saw that Victor I think it was Belmont >> and Belmont and another community have lower commercial business than us. They have like in the fives high fives and they don't have a split at all in those
communities. So, I mean, it's it's telling with our numbers and our low percentage of commercial base, we we have to be careful. We don't want vacancies in our downtown. That doesn't help anything. Go ahead.
So, um, you know, I I feel like we keep saying the same things every year and and I have never heard anyone I've never heard um somebody impacted by an increase in commercial tax rates in the six years that I've been the board
ever say, "You're right. The economy is okay this this year." even while we were getting the PPP loans that were forgiven, like we have never had anyone say, "Yep, this is the year we're going to do something for residents." You're right. Thank you so much for all that
you've done for us. And and so that hearing that every single year is is really frustrating. Um I did run across another community today a little further away, Sudbury. Sudbury has slightly less um commercial than we do. They have a a
vastly larger split. Um they have a vibrant downtown. The thing the thing that's really important is that Melrose has a big split. They have a vibrant downtown. Wakefield has a bit max split. They have a vibrant downtown. They have a few openings. You know, people come and go. Businesses come and go. That's
the nature of small business. Um but there is no connection. There is there has been no connection between the commercial tax rate, property tax rate, and whether you have a thriving downtown. Otherwise, we would
never have any vacancies. You know, it we just can't keep making that argument. It doesn't hold water. Um, Wuburn is super expensive if you want to locate your business over there, but but businesses do because there's so many
other factors and um, the end of the day, it's just a business expense and um, I I could ask our accessories here. At the same time, some residents have expressed the concern to me that we are giving the Home Depots of the world a huge tax break um, that we don't have
to. Um, so I was going to say, has Home Depot been knocking on your door complaining about their tax bills recently? >> Um, I do have a ATB case with them that I think is uh rather bold on their
attorney's part. >> Okay. >> I can't wait to take it down. >> Okay. Oh, boy. Thank you. Okay. It's very valuable land over there. Yep. All right. So that I just there is no connection between the commercial tax
rate and where a business chooses to locate the business. But there is a connection between readings reading residents who can't afford to um go out to eat and the success of our local businesses and and going out to eat and
having a bruski at our local venues is something that people will forego when they're feeling the pinch. So So it's a vicious cycle if if we don't recognize that. Um because I think that people
want to support our local businesses and and we want to have a vibrant downtown. That's I'm super lazy. I love it when I don't have to leave Reading. And um yeah, so that's all I'll say on that. I'd like to add that Wuburn's makeup of
their business businesses is significantly different than Readings. They have a lot more box stores, chains, businesses than Reading does or uh like big business parks like Cummings Park than Reading does. Reading has nothing
close to what Wuburn has. Um Mowers has a much more vibrant downtown than to read Reading and they are the only community around this area that has a larger split than we do with a lower uh commercial base and I will admit that.
But I will their downtown is much more vibrant than Readings I believe. So I'm hoping we can strive to be them and then we maybe can push our rate a little bit more but not until then. And it's Arlington and Belmont that both have no split tax rate but their rate because
their commercial base is around just five high fives I believe percent because they so they have no split for both of those communities as well. I don't know if you want to anyone want to add anything before I open it up to public comment or
>> Karen. Nope, I'm good. Okay, >> thank you. >> Name, address, and you have two minutes and Jane will shut you down. >> Jane, give me a minute. >> Kabibachi Main Street. So, I've been coming to this meeting for 19 years as a
resident and 19 years ago, our commercial base was well over 8%. And as um Melissa stated, now it's at 6.2. So, the disparity of two points is a lot. But as far as
the split tax, you know, we have a strategy by our esteemed town assessor behind me. His strategy is small incremental increases if any that he's been saying that since day one never a
big jump maybe don't go backwards but small increments 0.1 2 so everyone can absorb it at the same time. So as a board and hopefully you would agree to either keep it the same or go up a very
very small increment. Uh the economy is really weird right now. for a lot of people, especially small businesses. But, um, as Miss Hierrick said, yes, rents usually don't go down, but anyone has a triple net lease, their rent is
going to go up per the taxes going up. That's just the way commercial leases are written. Not all commercial leases, but most. So, any increase in commercial taxes is an increase to that tenant. Yes, they may not leave because of that, which is an extra expense that they have
to endure on top of everything else. Uh, the chocolate truffle, we moved it here from Wuburn in 2006, still in existence. We sold it 10 years ago to Craig who owns a great operation, but every increase hurts for everyone and right,
we have to pass on to the consumer. So, that's the way it's been going. I have 15 seconds. So, hopefully the board will do the right thing. uh keep it the same or small increments and that that is the strategy. The strategy has been told to us by a professional so hopefully we'll
adhere to that. Thank you. >> In the back name, address and you have two minutes. >> Keep it quick. Andrew Gregory Pleasant Street. It seems that when businesses leave Reading, they end up going to towns with
a higher tax rate. So I have a hard time believing that our tax rate is what's driving businesses away. So you know I really take offense to using that as an excuse to keep tax tech where they are.
>> Anyone else? Angela name address and two minutes please. >> Thank you. Angela Benda um Orchard Park Dive. Several years ago, economist Barry Bluestone gave a seminar. He was asked directly,
"Does the tax rate attract or detract from businesses or and he said the tax rate has absolutely nothing to do with attracting businesses?" That was what he said. And he pointed to towns with much larger um tax rates. That's not why they
come or leave. Um Mr. Bachi said it's been 19 years he's been listening to this. We should go up small increments. We're at what 1.1 1.11 and that's only to offset the senior tax rate. So in 19
years we haven't made any offsets. Um I have a letter that I wrote um two years ago pretty much holds true.
The average house cost or the average house cost was 702,000 at that time. The median median not average median commercial building was 762,000. So it was a little higher.
And Mr. Botch and Mr. Haley voted to lower the tax rate by several hundred dollar for that commercial for that median tax property while raising the uh person the the residential up by several
hundred hund00 they need to go up together. you can't be lowering the taxes for commercial and raising it for residential and and part of the reason is because of the rising
rates of um the the prices of houses. A lot of people are hurting. Residents are really hurting too. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? name, address, and you have two minutes.
>> Thank you. Tony DZo, John Street. Uh, I ask that the board put away their preconceived notions, anecdotal evidence, and focus on the facts and numbers. Uh, there are seven commercial properties in town valued at $10 million or more. That is a deceptive statistic. There is one commercial property at 10
million, one at 15, and the other five are between 20 and 29 million. Taken together, they are fully onethird of the entire commercial value for the town. If you include the $2 million to $10 million properties, you've now hit your
70% of your entire commercial base. Therefore, if any increase or shifting of the tax from residential to commercial, 70% will be covered by companies that burn tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions.
My request is that you look at these numbers instead of the median and look at the actual numbers that you're looking at. Uh and if you were trying to be fair, maybe if we stop letting large corporations hide behind small local businesses, that might be a good start.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Chris. Name, address. You have two minutes. >> Thank you. to uh Chris Haley, 71 Tennis and Road. Um there's been a lot of talk about fairness and numbers and split rates and everything else that's super
confusing to everybody at home. So instead, I brought visual aids that will actually help people see what the fairness is here in uh the town of Reading, Massachusetts. Here we have a 1099 figure and $1223.
Which one would you pick if you could select your tax rate right now? If you were my seven-year-old daughter, she'd pick the $1223 rate. If you were anybody else, uh you would pick the $10.99 rate. That is currently what the um split tax
rate would be at 111 right now. That's what every resident would be paying in town, $10.99. instead commercial is paying $1223. But I just sat here and listened to the inequity and we got to be more fair and
all these other reasons when it all comes down to basic math unless you're a seven-year-old. So I ask which one of these two would you pick from? Moving on, uh, beyond that, if you actually read the Daily Times chronicle
because we love visual aids today, um, that the select board was advised to hike the homeowners rate by $214, uh, which is incorrect. It's actually $25. But in doing so, by increasing the rate by $25,
you would end up dinging uh, commercial businesses an increase of $823. 205 to823. So, uh, to put this in simple math, if you were to bet $4,632 on the Patriots to win the Super Bowl,
you would win $38. Nobody is making that bet. In the time that I have left, it is November 7th and I'm meeting with the state legislators to go over um changing the tax rate for small business.
>> Thank you. Anyone else? Uh, I can't see whose hand that is, but yeah, thank you. Just name, address, and two minutes. >> Elena Beta 18, Strawberry Hill Lane. Um, I know just a couple of notes. I know this comes up every year. So, I have
some of the same comments. Um, that no one moves their business here because of the low taxes. No one has ever said that and I have asked them. No one has left here with their business because of our tax rate. And one of the businesses that we all amend, Pample Moose, will tell
you that is definitely not why she left. Um, we need people to shop in and eat and patronize all of these businesses more often. And by hitting them with a higher tax rate, we're just discouraging that, which someone said becomes a
vicious cycle. Um, I would love for Victor, our assessor, to please reexlain dollar amounts at 1.12, 1.13, just a few of them. What would mean
those numbers for the residential and what for the commercial? Just because I don't I'm sorry I don't have those numbers. And um I don't understand how um Chris and Carlo can recuse themselves
as select board members but comment as residents when they own businesses here. It just doesn't make any sense to me. And then vote. So they are recused as select board members, self-reused, self-participatory
as residents and then vote as select board members. Um, if someone could explain that, I just don't get it. Um, and Tony, if you could tell me again what your >> We're gonna have you public comments to the board, please. Not talk about.
>> Do you remember Tony's numbers? >> Tony's number. We're not going to do a back and forth on that. So, if you just want to ask a question and then we have an answer, we can bring it back to you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Does anyone else have public comment? Maddie, is there anyone online? and then
I'll bring it over to Victor. Thank you. >> I don't see any hands raised on Zoom. >> Okay, great. Victor, I think there were some comments. Maybe you can add to the conversation. >> Just basically if you're looking at a residential shift at 1.11, the
anticipated average tax bill be 10,375. Now, it changes a little bit, but if you bump that up to 1.15, it's 10,346. So, it's a $30 difference with that 4
adjustment. Now, what does that mean for commercial? I put way too much info in here. That's why they all sound so smart. All stats and everything is spun off. Okay.
Commercial. Oh yeah, this is the first one. >> Is this median or average? >> This is average. >> We'll do the median. >> Average at 1.11 24773. You bump that up to 1.15,
you get 25664. So within that tight range, you're talking an adjustment of almost $700 by moving up those couple of points. And for the median, you should see the spreadsheets on my
computer to generate this stuff. At 1.11 for the median, 10857. Bump that up to 1.15, it becomes 11348. Uh 11248, sorry. And you're looking at a
difference, a little over $300. Wait, that doesn't sound right. No. So, >> medium. >> So, I had Wait, [Applause] >> because it can't be It's got to be more than that because this year, even if we kept it the same, the medium business
went up like $800. So, that's not Sorry. At 1.11 >> the tax obligation is 10857. At 1.15 it's 11248
and that starts with a tax rate at 1.11 for the commercial of 1223. You're looking at page 20 of the packet. >> Yeah, >> Maddie. Yeah. On page 20 of the packet.
>> No, not 20. I don't think that's what he's looking. Well, you have uh a significantly different median value from 25 to 26. 25 the value is
792. It's coming out at around 8.88 this year for the median commercial value. Now, let me make sure. >> So, on my page 16, >> that's where I'm going >> of yours at 1.15. The median
I have it as $14,666 for the estimated tax bill for the median. So this is your page 14 median. >> Mhm. >> 14 15 and then 1687. >> Page 87.
>> So 110. >> Yeah. >> Next page. >> 111 >> starts with 111 which was on the previous page. >> Yep. And then sure I get that. >> I think you were giving us5 right >> one. Then this is our 1.11 right here. >> 10857.
>> Yep. And you go 1.15. >> Oh, 1.15. I thought you were saying 1.5. >> Oh, no. Not this. >> That's why I was like I >> I don't want to be burned in effigy. >> Okay. I apologize. My mistake. My mistake. I thought you were saying 1.5. I was like, I don't think that's right.
>> It's a lot of data. I throw at you guys. >> All right. Sorry. My apologies. That was my mistake. >> Page 22. >> Okay. >> Yeah, absolutely. And um um kind sir, could we can we just we want to be correct on the terminologies. When we
have um a median or an average um commercial property tax, it is a building owner. It is not a business. So what we don't have, which is incomplete information, is when there are often multiple businesses and condo owners or
or rental units in a particular building. So if that building's worth a million, so the increase is a thousand, it's split up among those different owners. So we're not talking about impacting every small business with an
$800 increase. I I we need to be really clear. We're talking about commercial property owners. Correct me if I'm wrong. Most of which who do not live in the town of Reading. >> I would know that. >> Okay. Well, I've looked at them. It's a high percentage of our commercial
property owners. Good for them. They're businessmen persons. They don't live in the town of Reading. They don't sleep here. They don't eat here. Um, so anyway, I just want to be really clear. So, we need to be careful. We're talking about commercial property owners
who then turn around and if you have a triple net lease, they pass on tax increases and that's fine. And if you have four businesses or five businesses in that the MF Charles building, they're splitting that increase. And maybe it's a thousand, maybe it's 1,600 for the
whole building. It is not an $800 the numbers we're talking about. It is not an $800 increase for every small business in town. And I just it's hard. It's helpful to talk about medians and averages, but it's easier with the residential, I think. And even then, it's it's not the
same. Anyway, >> it's always a hard discussion to have because in the past 25 years, residential properties have gone up considerably in value. I see to my other communities
where Wakefield for example they're 12 13% commercial share of the tax base 15 years ago now with value changing residential dwellings for the roof and commercial not changing that much unless something's built or new tenants make
significant improvements to a property that's only inching up. So while there is a higher tax rate, there's always been more of the burden falls to the residential taxpayer.
Yes, an increase to commercial is more physical dollars, but our tax levy is a pie with two slices, commercial and residential. No share of the tax burden is derived
ultimately by where those values come out. And when one part keeps going up six, seven, 8% a year and the other is negligible. What does that do to a levy? It shrinks that
portion while the residential side grows considerably. That's why your tax base shrinks for commercially from say 9% 15 years ago to what you have now. It's just basic math, but those are the
principles that apply to it. Sorry. Thank you for Can I actually ask you one question? Um >> Oh, okay. >> Sorry. So, on one sheet, it says 1.11. You have the the same um tax rate as 1223. I think I asked you this I think
already and I apologize on email and I forget what you said but one has it as the estimated median tax bill is 10857 and the other one has it as 10 955. Which one do we think is correct? Both have it as the rate the same but it's
different numbers. >> Not going to discount the fact that I can fat finger things. I'm only human. >> And you did I think I asked you this and you told me and I just don't know which one is right. We did last. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Sorry, I don't have a pocket for my
pocket calculator. That's uber nerdy assessor. 108 number >> 108. Okay, perfect. 10857. >> Yeah, >> thank you. >> So, I must have been must have been after lunch. Sorry. >> No, no, no, that's fine. That's fine. I
was just trying to figure that out. Thank you. I appreciate it. Karen. >> Yeah, I I'll just provide some information for people. So, um you know, uh Select member Haley did mention this. It was in our meeting minutes tonight. Uh yeah, that we're going to approve
tonight. So, Friday, November 7th, there are upcoming hearings on the joint committee on revenue. You can watch, you can submit testimony, you can submit testimony after the hearing. There are a number of bills that talk about an act providing for property tax relief for
small business owners and um you know I would encourage members of the select board we could since you can provide testimony afterwards we could still come back um next next meeting and have um
um a memo that we can send off to the state house urging them to take some action on this that might be helpful but individuals anybody can reach out and send in written testimony or join in the hearings. Thanks. >> Thank you.
Any other um members of the public? Yep. Just state your name, address, and you have two minutes. Bobby bought a cell in 58 Chapel Hill Drive in Reading. Um I am one of those business property owners who also lives
in Reading. I would it would behoove me to have a higher business property, commercial property tax than a residential because my residence has a very high tax on it.
But it wouldn't behoove the community. I truly believe and I know it's been said that you haven't heard anybody say that they've left town because of the taxes. I'm in real estate. I'm in my 41st year. I have heard it and heard it and heard
it. I've heard that they don't come to town because of it. I did an analysis just recently of over 30 businesses that left town in the last several years, not a lot of years, and more than half of
them left because they complained about it. I talked to these people. Furthermore, something was said this evening about $20. It would cost me It would save the residents maybe $20 and it would go up
on the commercial if on these numbers. I'm these fractions make me crazy, so I'm not even going to try with them. Um, I don't think that that's a bad thing. If if if your house has increased in value, and it certainly has. We all know every house, every property has
increased in value. The value is having a vibrant community, having a vibrant downtown, having a place where people want to come. Never did I ever think that I'd hear someone saying, "Yeah, you know what? Don't don't show me property there. I'd rather go there because
there's um there's a better downtown." The November 7th, I'm wondering why this can't be tabled till after November 7th. So, because this seems like fruitless. if we could maybe do something after November 7th. I believe there should be
a higher tax rate, Bobby. I appreciate it. >> Okay, thank you. Maybe someone could answer that. Can't be table. >> I believe it's just a hearing. We probably will not have an answer for a long time. It has to go through
probably. Yes. Yeah. So, we won't have an It's just a initial hearing. It will take a long time is my guess for this to actually go through. Um, anyone else have any comments? Anyone online? Maddie?
No hands on Zoom? >> Okay, I am going to close the hearing. Do you have a motion to close the hearing? >> Move to close the public hearing regarding the FY26 tax classification.
>> Second. All those in favor? Rezero. Um Carlo and Chris are leaving the room and they will not be voting on um these votes coming up. All right. Do we have any further
discussion? Do we want to decide? Um I think we have several motions in front of us. Correct. Do we have I'm not sure that we have any consensus on where we want to be on the commercial >> rate.
It's actually the residential factor is the appropriate but >> right that's the only real vote on you don't vote separately on commercial residential. >> Yeah. No no no we do have to vote separately on the other um >> Yep. So there's several motions some of them you know are pretty routine you can go through them and and discuss the real
one is the factor. Okay. Do you want to go through the other motions that are pretty basic and um uh straightforward and then discuss the factor? Does that work? >> Sure. We can get them out of the way. >> Yeah. Okay. So, why don't we do that?
>> All right. I think the first one is Oh, wait. Is the first the hearing establishing the tax rate? That's not close it. >> Just It was to >> Oh, that was to close it. Okay. My mistake. Okay. So the first ones for the open space. >> Mhm.
>> Move that the select board not grant or not grant. We're not granting. >> Not not grant. >> Not grant. Right. >> Yeah. >> Move that the select board not grant an open space discount for fiscal year 2026. >> Second. >> Seconded by Karen. Um any discussion?
All those in favor? 300. Move that the select board not adopt a residential exemption for fiscal year 2026. >> Second. Um uh any discussion? >> I'm sorry. Which one was that?
>> Move. Uh not adopt a residential exemption for fiscal year 2026. >> That's a that's a no, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Not grant. Um >> any further discussion? No. All those in favor? 30
and then the last one. The last one >> move that the select board not grant a small commercial exemption for fiscal year 2026. >> Second. Any discussion? >> Yeah. I'll just comment that we do this every year because it's just not going
to do any good. We It's It's broken. It's not good legislation. Okay. >> Um all those in favor three zero. All right. Now we can go back to the residential factor or the split rate um
and see do we want to take a consensus of where we are and then we can move from there or >> can I just mention one thing? So because the way the charter works and we're at three members it has to be unanimous vote. So we need three votes in the affirmative for whatever you decide. So
two votes doesn't carry it. >> Two votes doesn't carry. Okay. >> Yep. So, we have to be a three zero vote for this to carry. And do we know what happens if that doesn't?
>> Um, it's tricky. I've been talking to town council about it. Um, I really we really need you to to vote on a on a factor. If not tonight, then very soon. Um, if not, we would probably have to Victor could talk about this. ask for
permission to send out preliminary bills based on estimates, but that we have to appeal directly to do on that and that generally may not be granted um for this situation. They may just say it's your statutory duty to approve a factor, go
back and approve a factor. Did I state that correctly, Victor? >> Okay. >> Right. You are, sir. >> All right. Thank you. But so that's I mean we really if you can get to some sort of consensus tonight that's the best course of action otherwise it's going to really cause a
binding. >> Now if you have some time I can tell you the impact behind the scenes. >> Yes please do. >> It impacts our approval timeline because after we have this meeting we decide a factor then we have town meeting.
What's going on behind the scenes is Sharon and I are completing our numbers in our tax rate recap sheet to submit to the state. We have a period of public comment we have to wait for after town meeting and then we get in line with 351
cities and towns trying to certify their tax rates. It could be quick when you do it early. If you do it too late, it's not quick >> and it impacts the tax billing timeline.
It takes a lot of tries, a lot of testing with software to work any kinks out to get bills out in a timely manner. And we do not want to be in a situation where we're even complimenting. Um, not sending out an actual third quarter tax
bill. It impacts our revenue stream. It also impacts other municipal timelines like abatements, exemptions. It hamstrings your entire revenue operation. >> Oh, the bond agency's going to love that.
No pressure >> them too. So, you know, >> take your time. Besides that, >> well, if I may start the discussion, please. Um, we're starting at 1.2 over
here. You're at 1.11. I'm going to start at 1.15 >> just as a place in the middle. Um, we we have to raise it. And I think in my head eventually we'll get to 1.2, which is still really really low. And if it takes
us five, six years to get there, like Victor said, slow and steady. Um, that's that's that'll get our discussions going. >> Thank you. >> Can I ask Victor a question? >> Yep. Victor, what's our maximum shift
again? Is it 1.75 or 1.5? >> 1.5. >> Okay. So, the context is slow and steady. That's like 40 points. That's why I was this is what I was saying in our last meeting. Slow and steady at this rate is
40 years. That's not slow and steady. That's not doing our job. Um all right. But uh that's my opinion. But just just to to understand one or two points a year is going to take 20 years. Um we could be long gone. Um well we
will um from this seating area. I mean, thank you for Thank you for starting um um 1.15. Um I could get on board with 1.15. We barely moved the needle last year. We This year is so much worse. I have
another question for um Victor. Sorry, Victor. Just I'm I made a comment earlier. Sharon is going out to borrow debts, hundreds of millions of dollars of debt in January. Is that going to hit our tax bills? Is that going to be in the July tax bill? Is that the first
time the residents are getting hit and the commercial property owners? >> No, it won't hit till next year's actual bill. >> Really? We got a whole really >> That exclusion doesn't hit even though we've borrowed it that we're not going to >> You're going to bill it along a normal
taxation timeline which is the actuals. There's no way because I'm setting values, I can't add those to what are preliminary tax bills for the actual year that won't hit our recap sheet. >> Thank you. >> That won't hit everything until
>> the actual bills next year. At least that's the way we did it in Wakefield. Borrowing 275 million for high school. C >> can Sharon, can you weigh in? I'm a little I'm a little surprised that we could borrow money for a year and not have it for debt and not have it hit the
taxes for a year. Is that what >> So, the way it works is uh we're going to borrow in January or late December and in during the year every six months we pay interest payments and one principal payment. If we borrow in January, the first payment won't be due
until fiscal 20 um fiscal 27. So, um, it's it's why we chose to do the internal borrowing is to push off and give residents some relief in this first year. So, fiscal 26 will have no debt exclusion. It will be fiscal 27 when you
see the first debt exclusion added to your tax bill. >> What is that in calendar terms? What would what would the first tax bill be? >> So, it be that first I'm wondering if you actually see it on in the estimated tax bills. The first tax bills are
estimated based on the prior year and then after we set the tax rate then you get rates that you know that are finalized. Um so I would guess we haven't had a debt excluded in years. I would guess it would show up on your um bills that after we set the tax rate
>> next year. >> So that would be you know in January or something like that. It would be after November >> of 26. >> Wow. Okay. All right. Thank you for clarifying that. I'm I'm just shocked. I'd rather get going on that right away.
It's a big bill. Um but and and then that would give us more leeway as well. So I didn't I'm surprised that we >> I think the reason we did it was because we were really tight with capital as well and you know the roads in need of more work and so we were looking to push
off the excluded debt payments and the debt payments on some of the other things we're borrowing. Um, and so that gave us more room for capital in fiscal 26. And fiscal 27 is when you'll see the debt exclusion start to appear on your bill. The fiscal year's July 1st, 2026
to um June 30th, 2027. Boy, so hard to think that far, but so you will not see anything until then. >> Okay, everybody enjoy their tax bills for the next year. I guess >> they'll be moderated additionally. Okay, cool.
Um I I'm I'm a minimal to something less than one point um two, but it can't be one one tick. That that's just not going to keep the residents from falling further behind. And then I I agree. We can have a strategy to be steady last
prior to I think the year before. I mean I can't it's so funny other towns get this done in like five years or seven years and and we're we're like 11 and we're nowhere. So, um I I could get on board with 1.15. >> Can Victor, can you give me what the And
I'm looking through your stuff and I don't see it, so I don't know that you might you'll know this off the top of your head. Um what was the average tax bill for residents at 1.11 last year? Do you know that?
I might be able to find >> the page. I don't know. It's some page in our I had it in my notes. >> This is a big sauce for me. I threw it all in there like gravy. >> Thank you. I was just looking. >> Yeah.
>> No, that doesn't cover the average price. >> It's about 10. I had it on my nose, but I don't see it. >> I do not have it here. Well, wait a second. Hold on. There's another page. >> There you go. right there. >> Oh,
>> there you go. 10172 right off the top of my head. See >> 10172. Thank you. That appreciate it. Great. All right. Great. Thank you. That's helpful. Um, so I'm sorry. I'm just doing some quick math just so I actually know what we're
looking at. Well, we have a little bit of good news. My understanding is that the um the bill that was passed by Congress um eliminated the $10,000 limit on property tax deductions. So, that was also pressing on the
residents. So, that's a little bit of good news that will help help um the businesses didn't have that restriction and that's been a problem. But that we can now fully tax deduct our property taxes is my understanding.
um to compromise and to get a three to zero vote hopefully and to move forward on this. I think that um I would consider moving it from 1.11 to
1.13 which will um bring the residents to about an $184 increase and the businesses to about a,8
it is a commercial property owner which trickles down to the business owners. >> So it might only be 300 per business. >> I'm speaking right now, but thank you. Um, so I would be amendable to going to 1.13, which would also go along with what you
said Karen earlier if we go up 0.02 and we're moving the needle a little bit every year. And I think that we also need to move the needle and, you know, bring more commercial businesses to here. >> Yeah. Um, >> yeah,
>> okay. Well, we've said the tax rate will not attract the businesses. It's the it's the Kevin McCarthy's. It's the um the banners that we have on Haven Street. It's the um planning and implementing our community spaces that's attracting the businesses. So, this has nothing to do with attracting the
businesses or chasing them away. But because we only nudged the needle one last time, we're falling behind. I think the year before we might have nudged it too. Nudged it too. I would um >> well with our decreasing commercial that's not really helpful. So
>> So just to the decreasing commercial percentages also has to do with the fact that the residential values are going up. >> No, no, no. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the decrease in from 8% several years ago to 6%. That's what I'm talking
>> that's what I'm talking about. >> That has nothing to do with residential homes. >> The value of the residential homes >> what makes the commercial share of the tax burden diminish each and every year.
>> Okay, my mistake. I misunderstood that. Thank you. But I do think that the bigger piece of this picture is that we need to bring more commercial businesses to town with projects like Eastern Gateway to try to spread that out and with legislation that's in, you know, in
front of them to be able to like Tony mentioned those big stores or those big build commercial businesses that are valued at 10 plus million dollars. I would love to tax them more. I would love to. I have no problem with that. But I don't want to crush our small
business. Our 10 our tin bucket that's been here for 10 years. I don't want to crush that small business. >> What's the difference at 1.14? >> I'm not going beyond 1.13. >> Okay. That's not compromising then. >> I was at 1.11.
>> I was at 1.2. >> All right. Because as Yeah. No, we just you last year you strongly were in favor of a one point and um and the board acquested. So I'm asking for another one point this year to kind of catch up because we lost um we lost time.
>> I gave two points this year because I was at 1.1. >> Okay, that's great. Um yeah, this is so I guess the the difference between 1.3 and 1.4 for for for businesses is about 200 less than $250 and it stays pretty
much almost the same $9 for residents. So, I think I I do feel like 1.14 is a nice compromise for everybody because I know you've come up and I know you've come down and I think um of this year is just a really
the government shut down. I mean, there's so many different factors and it's all everything trickles down to the resident regardless of what happens to the to the businesses. And I think, you know, we can support the businesses by supporting the businesses and by going
there and not necessarily just going there when they're having a sale, but going there and supporting them legitimately. And I think we have some new businesses opening in town, the new Italian restaurant and the golf thing, which I do think is going to bring a lot more money than we probably even realize, which is a great thing. So, we
may see these vac vacant storefronts on Haven and other places, but they are coming and it it we need to start making the change now because Eastern Gateway may not be here for 10 plus years. And so, I think Kevin's doing a great job in the background and getting things here.
So, I think we just have to really we've got two good businesses opening up and I think that that's a sign in the right direction. But I don't I just don't think 1.13 is. And trust me, when I started out here today, I was probably at 1.13.
>> And then I've got we've got emails from people. People have talked to me. You know, 1.2 is the place that they want us to be. Um, >> and I even think 1.2 is is pretty low. >> It's low, but it's not low for the our
percentage of business. >> But when you look at a Melrose like we've been talking about, you know, they pay a lot and and you. It's just a fact of doing business. I completely understand. It's it's everything's going up. But I think the residents we're going to get hit really
badly in a year and a half. And >> I don't disagree with that. And I um but I again the businesses are too with that debt exclusion that some of them didn't even vote for because their rates are higher. Their valuations in some cases are higher. Again, not talking about the
big business, the big box stores, but it's going to hit them too. But I appreciate your um view on this and I could I'll agree to 1.14. >> Thank you. >> Yeah.
>> Thank you. >> I don't hear any clapping. >> Do we have a motion? >> I'm not exactly sure which figure I'm supposed to >> motion. Um yeah, >> even worse. It's not even >> go to the helpful Michelin man digits.
So >> what do we say 1.14 >> the MRF minimum residential factor that needs to be adopted is 0 990 861.
>> Thank you kindly. Uh that's 1.13. No, it's not. >> That's what I see. >> Okay. >> They still are looking confused. >> Okay. He's good. He's good. We're good. >> We're wrong.
>> I couldn't possibly mess up all three places. >> Are you guys good? Yeah, if that's what >> Okay. >> The MRF like what is that? >> Make my motion >> please. And you can do you have the
number that Victor gave you? Okay. Perfect. >> Move that the select board adopt a residential factor of 0.990861 for fiscal year 2026. >> Second. Do we have any further discussion? >> None. Okay. All those in favor?
>> Three. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, folks. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Victor. >> Um, can we take a two-minute recess if you don't mind and then we'll have our other select board members come in. Just a quick two minutes. Thank you.
Okay, we're on to the next hearing or something. We have proclamations in between. Oh, that's okay. >> I'll call this slide board back to order. Next on the agenda is discuss and vote on Mystic Regional Emergency
Planning Committee Proclamation page 35 in the packet. Chief Pel Promise I don't talk any numbers. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Okay, I'll do it again. All right. Uh this this um I just kind of give you a quick history just so you can understand
what this is. Re uh basically 1986 the US federal uh government passed a law under Sarah title three um it's EPA EPA it's the government it means what does that mean? Right. So it's emergency planning and community right to know act. What does that mean? That basically
has to do they set forth regulations on the requirements for planning for emergencies involving hazardous materials. That's what this is. Well, part so it kind of does three things. It requires emergency planning. Um for that emergency planning, it requires what's
called an LEPC, a local emergency planning committee. And it also has u some regulations as far as a community right to know act. So people want to know what's has deals around. they have the right to find that out. We've belonged for many years to what's known as an REPC, a regional emergency
planning um council and um the regulations do allow for an establishment of this um this to kind of take care of the goals a lot of things that the LAPC would do. So by being part of this they do some of the work for us but also it's a big sharing
of data like I have access to you know there's an incident at Woo I can look and see what has materials are there and then I can map wind charts and see if it's going to affect us and that type that type of it is really geeky it's it's kind of crazy they also have they show routes so some as materials have to
go very specific travel lanes and they tell us that so we know what these travel lanes are it's basically sharing information have to do with ES materials. This PC is something we've involved in many years and every once in a while we have to sign a new proclamation vowing to still be part of
that of that group. And um so as part of my emergency management role, that's that's what this that's what this is here. So what I'm asking tonight is uh that you vote and uh sign the new proclamation to um continue to be part of it.
>> Any questions? Sounds easy. >> I like easy. >> Karen, do you have a motion? >> Motion to approve the joint proclamation for Mystic Regional Emergency Planning Committee as presented. >> Second.
>> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> 5 Z. >> Thank you, Chief Nelson. We'll get that signed here for you. >> Chris needs to sign. I was uh thought we were gonna read. >> There we go. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much.
>> Enjoy your data. >> Have a wonderful night. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Uh up next 8:00 discuss and vote on proclamation for special education parent advisory committee CPAC awareness month page 36 on the packet.
And I see Tom Wise is here. Is anyone gonna speak on this for us Matt or? >> Uh no. proposed request coming over from the school department. Um, I think you could read the read the proclamation if school department chair wants to say
anything about it. You know, we could add to it, but it's fairly straightforward. >> Did you have something, Tom? Thanks. >> While I enjoyed my time as chair, I'm no longer a chair. >> Yes. Sorry about that. uh Tom Wise 181 South Street writing school committee um
and liaison to the select board from the school committee and liaison to CPAC um for the school committee as well. Um this the state of Massachusetts started recognizing uh CPAC awareness month back in 2018 um and RCPAC has asked they asked last fall a little bit too late
and so they asked this summer and we started the process of recogn recommending that you all recognize it for the town of Reading um for this November. Um, I realized that when I sent the materials to you, um, we talked about potentially changing the last portion of it and so I have a small
adjustment to recommend to the actual proclamation for you, um, as we go through it. Uh, but I think for those who don't know what CPAC is, special education parent advisory committee, um, >> council >> council, >> I know, I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Maria can definitely chime in and adjust as necessary. She's been one
of the biggest advocates. um you know, they are a huge um contingency in our town in terms of really helping and make sure that our students and even more broadly many of the residents of of Reading that are of special education need um are recognized and and whatnot.
They've been huge in terms of awareness uh various different uh nights. They actually have one coming up on Thursday. There's a video that they're a film that they're showing. Um we've done ones at at RCTV. We've done some at the high school over time. There's a lot of educational materials they put together um for the district, for parents uh and
for the community at large. Um so the the proclamation is based upon the state one that has been going on for a few years and we amended it to be specific to reading. Uh and our our meeting on October 2nd, uh the school committee passed this six to zero. Um now the the
amendment I want to recommend for you is to strike the we the school committee uh implore um and to because you now as a select board are the ones proclaiming this. >> So you know there I highlighted in my my version it says now therefore we and
from the reading school committee implore strike that um the reading select board 2 strike two proclaim November 2025 to be reading uh CPAC awareness month. Um, so just a small amendment to the proclamation. So it is your proclamation, not ours, um, that
you're agreeing to. >> Oh, no. That's >> Well, so you don't want us to sign. Can we print out a new one of this with the changes after we get it straightened? >> I would request that you do so if possible. >> Yeah, do that. >> Um, so my apologies. Um, I must have miscommunicated that uh that adjustment
or not. I didn't do it appropriately on my on my part. So um, so I apologize for that, but thank you for considering this. And I don't know if anybody else wants to speak or if you're entertaining any other conversations. >> Thanks, Tom. >> Maria, did you have something?
>> I want to thank Oh, Maria Morgan, um 26 Lee Street. I want to thank the school committee for doing this and recognizing um CPAC awareness month. I want to thank the administration and I want to thank everybody who's just been on board with this. Um, I found an awesome quote and I
think it really applies well to the reading um, CPAC. Um, this is from the Center for Parent Information and Resources. They published a guide called Advocacy and Action, a guide to local special education parent advisory councils. And the quote is, "Cpacks are
a win-win. When parental input is valued and there is a vehicle for meaningful communication, parents are empowered to facilitate change that matters. And when school leaders are able to work with a
cohesive, wellorganized parent community that provides useful, coordinated input, they are able to move good ideas into action. Some towns only have one of those or neither of those. And in reading we have
both. We have a cohesive parent group and we have um administration and other stakeholders and leaders who um collaborate and to me that's a unicorn. I think there's so much that we could accomplish in reading um because of that amazing relationship. I'm so happy that
this is being proclaimed as awareness because it's not just that parents need to know about CPAC. really is that everybody needs to know about it and um anyone interested in special education in reading is considered a general member. Parents of kids with disabilities are voting members and then it gets a little um you know specific
after that. But really everyone in this room if you care about special education you are general member of of um CPAC. And I think the more accepting we are of that and the more wide we see that net um the better for everybody because there are people that need this information and it leads to
collaboration as opposed to arguing and divisiveness. Um so this is wonderful. Thank you for this time. I really appreciate it. And I'm sorry we don't have teal ribbons. We will get them to you because we have them. This is sort of teal but we will get you teal ribbons to wear proudly this month. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. >> So this is Anyone uh on the board have any >> questions, comments? >> Any other public comment in the room? Maddie, anybody online?
>> No hands on Zoom. >> Thank you, Maddie. Um, yeah, thank you, Maria, for your advocacy. You're anywhere and everywhere. not specific to CPAC, but you are always out and about doing everything. So, I appreciate um
your advoc advocacy with this. Same with you, Tom, your for your leadership over the years. Um and I'm happy to see the school committee pass this and I'm happy to see that um hopefully in a moment here that the select board is unanimous
on another monthlong proclamation. So, Karen Rose Gillis, do you have a motion? Or do you want to read the Yeah, read the proclamation first. Sorry. And then the last line. Do we have that corrected for Cameron or do you know what you're going to say?
>> Okay, good. >> Thank you. >> Uh CPAC awareness month, November 2025. Whereas the year 2025 marks the 39th anniversary of the Massachusetts law requiring the establishment of a special education parent advisory council CPAC
by school committees of each city, town or school district. And whereas Massachusetts Department of Elementary and secondary education advise special education directors that consultation with CPAC leadership is an essential element of developing and improving systems for the provision of services.
And whereas the reading cak is charged with advising the school committee on the education and safety of students with disabilities and regularly meets with school officials to participate in the planning, development, and evaluation of the school committee's special education programs under Massachusetts federal
laws. >> Part one, title X one, chapter 71B, section three. And whereas the reading CPAC is self-governing and parentled, they establish bylaws regarding officers and
operational procedures and govern themselves pursuant to those bylaws. And whereas in the course of their duties, the Reading CPAC receives assistance from the school committee without charge and subject to the availability of staff and resources. And whereas the Reading
School District conducts in cooperation with the Reading CPAC at least one workshop annually on the rights of students and their parents and guardians under state and federal special education laws. And whereas the reading CPAC works toward greater understanding
of respect for and support of all children with special needs in the community, promotes a network of parents of children with special needs and provides a forum to share information. And whereas a collaborative working relationship exists between the Reading CPAC and the Reading School District and
Reading School Committee to enhance the quality of special education services provided to students with disabilities, special education policies, and parent and teacher training needs. And whereas the reading CPAC promotes communication and sharing of information between CPAC
members, local, state, and national organizations, councils, and groups, as well as within the community to encourage understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of students with special needs. And whereas the Reading CPAC providesformational workshops to
parents, educators, students, and professionals. And whereas the reading CPAC is made of parents, guardians, and other volunteers who give of their already limited time and resources to advocate for their students and individuals in the community. Now therefore, we the Reading Select Board
proclaim November 2020 2025 to be CPAC awareness month and urge all residents of Reading to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance. Reading. >> Thank you, Karen. >> You're welcome. Um, do we have Well,
before the motion, I guess in the spirit of my colleague Carlo Bach last time, um, I feel like we should strike the 2025 from the, uh, motion. So, move that
November be recognized as special education parental parent advisory council awareness month in the town of Ren. There's a friendly amendment to that. Okay, second that.
>> Thanks, Melissa. Uh, I guess first we'll vote on that. So, all those in favor >> 5 Z and then the May motion >> move that November be recognized as special education parent advisory council awareness month in the town of Rene. >> Second.
>> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? 5. Thank you. Thank you, Maria, Tom, and CPAC as a whole. >> Thank you.
>> All right, moving on to the 805 public hearing for discuss and vote on transfer annual liquor license for Bangkok Spice LLC. Aaron, sorry to do it to you again, but do you have a public hearing?
>> I don't know if I do. Thank you. To the inhabitants of the town of Reading, please take notice that the select board of the town of Reading will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 at 7 p.m. in the select board
meeting room at Town Hall, 16 L Street, Reading, Mass. are also available remotely on Zoom to act on a transfer of license application for an annual wine and malt beverage restaurant license located at 76 Haven Street Reading MA
from Palat Padium [Music] >> DBA Bangkok Spice Thai Restaurant to Bangkok Spice LLC DBA Bangkok Spice. A copy of the proposed documents regarding this topic will be in the select board packet on the website at
www.runningmma.gov. All interested parties are invited to attend the hearing in person or remotely via Zoom or may submit their comments in writing or by email prior to 6 PM on November 4th, 2025 to town manager at running ma.gov by order of Matthew a
krenellisquire town manager. >> Thanks Karen. Matt, do we have something prepared for this or? >> Yeah, we actually have the applicant here going to come up and explain and answer any questions. >> Thank you. >> Good evening all. I promise this won't
be taxing. [Laughter] [Music] >> My name is Joe Delasi. I worked down the street in North Reading um as an attorney and I have the honor and privilege of representing Wakanda Odjack who is the applicant for the transfer of
the license. Uh her company is called Bangkok Spice LLC and she'll be hopefully um within the 30 days or so buying from Mr. Polarat's um uh his business. Um as I understand he's gone
back to Thailand. So, um, happy to answer any questions. Uh, just a brief background. Um, Wakanda has actually worked at Bangkok Spice, so she's no stranger. She's worked there for the last 13 years as a server. She's tip certified, so she's very well trained in
um in serving alcohol to customers. Um she's plans to be an active manager, be there five plus days a week as anyone knows how business owners have to run their business. Um she also has a uh
partner/chef and thera uh help me with the last name. and Thera is traveling and uh unfortunately can't be here with us tonight, but she's also tip certified um and lots of um lots of uh restaurant
experience. >> Thank you. Board members, any questions? Nobody. Any >> questions >> comment in the room? Anyone online? Maddie, >> no hands online. >> Thanks. Um, I guess for me once again, I
don't like Thai food. Sorry. But my wife does love Bangkok spice. And you guys are right next to my office down there. Um, so she does enjoy it. Me, not so much. I'm kind of weird, but um, that's pretty much it for me.
Karen, >> sure. Um, I love, um, the restaurant. I love the Thai. Um, when I moved here, we had pizza and Chinese. No offense, but um and you've been here a really long time. Other restaurants have come and go, so we look forward to many more
years. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Seeing none, Karen, do I have a motion to close a public hearing? >> Move to close the public hearing regarding the transfer of the wine and malt liquor license for Bangkok space. Second.
>> Seconded by Karen Eric. Uh any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor. And another motion. >> Move to approve the annual wine and malt restaurant liquor license for Bangkok Spice LLC, DBA Bangkok Spice, located at
76 Haven Street. Second. >> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> Thank you. Enjoy. >> Thank you. >> Sure. Thank you.
>> So, related related to this and um this is just a um a request for uh some consideration um the current owner as you just know just renewed his liquor license um that comes due um December
1st at at a fee of $2,700. He's he's leaving and we are going to be required as the new buyer to pay $2,700. So, it's almost as if there's a um a double tax um for the same period of
time. I'm wondering if as part of the um consideration that the board might entertain some sort of offset, a credit or waiver of the fee because of how it's perfectly timed.
So, I I don't think it's on the agenda, so we can't discuss it, but I I think that uh we can task this with Matt, and I'm sure he will get you squared away. >> Thank you all. >> Yeah, we can look into that for you. >> Thank you, guys. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you.
>> All righty. Moving on to discuss and potential vote on procurement options for the Pleasant Street Center, page 77 in the packet. So, I know we've gone over this um a couple times before and it's coming up
again. And Jane or Matt, did you want to kick us off with our scenarios? >> Um, sure. I'll leave most of it to Jane as she runs the procurement department. Um, we I had put the memo in your packet
outlining some of the options. I think the the the real choice we need to make coming soon is whether we want to lease the space, you know, to somebody or sell it. Um I think, you know, I I would be leaning towards uh holding on to it
because it's such a historical property and seeing what we can do on the lease market. I did put some of the quick facts in there that I talked about before that the the rental income could be about 72 72,000 and change. Um and
the commercial appraisal if we sold it came back at 965,000 which you know everybody agreed seemed to be a little low at the time. We could also reappraise it. Um but essentially the the the 30B the procurement process
that J talked about it's the same essentially the same process but we have to really decide which group we're going to and which way to handle it. So, um I can leave it to Jay and also Katie is here who's our um our operations director that can outline the process,
answer specific questions regarding procurement, but I think we want to start looking down that road as to what we want to do uh fairly soon. So, >> thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um you have in your packet as you as Matt went through the slide, you have the memo that was
written by Mrs. Gabriella and you have um the whole appraisal that was done. Um I'm going to run you also through a timeline in a minute that we um developed earlier today. So we'll show you what that looks like as well. Um
this is a process that is governed by mass 30B um section 16. It's a very specific procurement. Um it had we have lots of eyes to dot and te's to cross. Um and we do have a few questions into council tonight. What we're wanting to
do and what we're looking for the board to support um is just that we're going to be studying um and needs assessment. So prior to town meeting, there was a request to do a commercial appraisal for rental and sale of the property um by uh
Mr. Cordalis so we could inform town meeting not knowing if town meeting would approve or not approve. That was the and and some you know work that we did what comparative communities had done with similar properties. We presented that to town meeting. We presented that to this board and and a
few other boards. Um now we're going into a more formal process. Um we don't need the board to decide tonight about lease or sale. In fact, I would recommend that you don't take that conversation right now. But we're going to be looking for feedback. We're going
to be starting um a needs assessment and that is a a specific process. We'll be starting with the department heads um and talking to do you see any future uses for this building in your work. Um we will have a community survey. Um
we'll invite public comment at a future select board meeting where people could come in and give public comment on a date that suits uh the board and uh we'll also do sort of a road show and and Katie and I will go on the road. It's going to be great. We're very good
road trippers, not to Nashville, but um but for reading all to these boards. And so the boards that we thought of um so far that we'd like to take this um road show to is obviously we're here. We'll come back here. Uh finance committee, CPDC, um potentially the school
committee. We'll ask them if they'd like to have us come. Uh housing authority, the historical commission, and the rec committee. If this board has any other um boards, communities or commissions you think that we should visit um to get their feedback, let us know. Um we will
collect qualitative data from the feedback at each one of those meetings. We'll combine that with the survey data that we received and uh the information from the department heads and then we will bring that back to this board with um you know either a recommendation report. This is what we're seeing from
the community and then this board can decide okay should we sell it? Should we lease it? Depending on which route the board decides we want to go determines another course of action. Do we need to um bring it to town meeting for uh
disposition? Um tell if there is a lease in the future we will have to get that approved by town meeting as most of you know if it's um if it's a lease of land. So lease of the building is a little bit different just the building itself. So, we have again there's some nuance here
that has to be um fleshed out with councils and we have inquiries into we're starting that process already. Um so, that's kind of where we're at. Um I'm going to ask Maddie if you can pull up the timeline I sent you earlier today, please.
Intro brief. We will also be creating a web page um and then it will also appear on the improving writing uh page. So if you're looking here um November you can see select board intro and then we'll also be talking to the
department heads by next month we'll be into our boards committees and commissions visits. We have to conduct you know contact the chairs and see which dates we can get on their agenda. We'll do that through January. So, December, January, we'll aim to launch the community survey at the beginning of
the year. Um, in February, we'll come back, report our findings to this board, and then we'll begin um a warrant article if needed, and we'll begin an RFP if needed. Now, recal is slated to open in
April 27, I think, is where we're looking. I think that's what we're looking at. So, if it's April or May 2027 that we're going to open that building, um that means that the Pleasant Street Center will be ready for a new a new life um in whatever it will
be. So, if we decide to go into an agreement or a lease agreement with another entity, that gives that entity time to get the architectural drawings done if they need to make changes to the building once they take a lease. So, these are it's all food for thought. We want to be good partners. Um but we also
want to have lots of time for community conversation. So we have plenty of time. We have plenty of runway. Um but this is our next step is this is also required by the law to do a needs assessment. >> Okay. >> Do you have anything to add?
>> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> So just one thing um to add about the procurement process. We were very pleased to see that within the RFP process in which we would declare the land available for disposition, we have a lot of flexibility in how we use it.
Um, a lot of times in mass procurement law, it's pretty cut and dry amongst we are taking the lowest possible dollar amount when we're purchasing services or if we're surplusing, it's usually the highest possible dollar amount. We have good flexibility here in which we can decide if this is a situation in which we are trying to extract the maximum
value from the space, whether that's renting it out to excuse me, a for-profit business um conversion to housing, that kind of thing, or if it is more of a community centric use. So, I thought that was important for the board to know that as we do explore this process, depending on
how we write the RFP and depending on how we um phrase the scope and where we give preferential weight, um we are able to kind of, you know, see the type of tenant or the type of use that we think would be most beneficial to the town, whether that is financially or whether
it is some other more communitycentric use. Um, but yeah, looking forward to working with you all on this process and hopefully the the Pleasant Street Center will have a a future doing something amazing in its new new form. Thank you. >> Thanks.
Anything else to add? >> No, we're happy to entertain questions. >> Carla, thanks. So, uh, town meeting has to approve the right to lease or the tenant. >> The lease. >> Okay.
>> The lease itself. >> Just the right to lease. >> Yeah. >> And then we decide >> the lease of the le the lease of the land. So, if the parking lot is leased versus the building, it's very it's very
weird. >> Okay. So, what about if we find a tenant for the space? Not necessarily. It doesn't necessarily have to go to town meeting. This board has to approve leases. >> So I just I just heard town meeting has to approve um
>> the lease of the land. >> Not the building. >> Just the land. >> Yeah, I know. I didn't write the slides. What about >> just the land? Okay. So, >> and we do have questions out to town council. So, if you have other questions, we'll forward those as well. >> Okay. I got it. >> Yeah. >> So, you're saying the existing Pleasant
Street parking lot would have to go to town meeting. I'm not sure it would have to if it's part of the use of the Pleasant Street Center, but it may remain a municipal lot. >> Okay. >> So, if it's exclusive use to the tenant,
then that might if it was a business and so it was exclusive use to the business, then we might have to take that lease to town meeting. >> I'm not sure yet, >> Melissa. >> Well, no, in a lot of time.
>> So, a question to the RFP. If can I throw out a you know a >> hypothetical >> hypothetical scenario of we the town supports um rent or leasing the space to the food
pantry for the first floor but then on the second floor we look to lease that space to a forprofit business. Can we do that within the RFP? >> Um I think so. We can't say the food
pantry. We absolutely cannot show any preference whatsoever to any >> if we said something along the lines of the first floor for a town >> nonprofit >> nonprofit. You say based nonprofit preferential second floor for a
for-profit business because that's something that would be possible to word in the RFP. I think so. I believe so. >> Yeah. All right. Great. >> You would lease them as kind of separate spaces. So I would say like two units if you >> Okay, great. Thank you, >> Karen.
>> Yeah. Um this is exciting. This is um as you correctly noted, the Eastern Gateway is really exciting and it's really far away, but this is exciting because it's more tangible and it's nice to have the runway as opposed to um when we had the
we had to act quickly on deciding whether to buy those lots for Town Forest. Um, so you know that appraisal that is like so disappointing. I just if you know if it's required we should go somewhere else and and pick somebody else because
25 Haven Street historical build should have been in there. 136 Haven Street the restaurant space alone a million dollars should have been in there. And then the church that we decided not to do anything about like literally right next door, which I don't think was in is
probably in the code star system. It's not in my system. So, um yeah, I had I hate to keep throwing that appraisal around because it was just sometimes things come back weird and that was one of them. Um but that price
because it is worth so much more. um even if there were no buildings sitting on it, but they had recal such potential for that building. Um because you could do something more in keeping with the neighborhood, but you could
absolutely do more with that parking lot as well, like to to really So, I'm all I'm with you. Like, what can we do to maximize this? and um and and yes, we'll work with the the historical commission to do it the right way. But um yeah, I'd
love to see us keep this. That would be my um and I like this process. I don't think the schools need any space right now, but you know, it's good to do a flyby and ask. >> Sure. >> Yeah, I think so. I appreciate that so much. And and I haven't forgotten that the food pantry has been looking
diligently for space. And I do like a a hybrid approach >> if we can break it up into multiple opportunities, you know, and depending maybe somebody responds who says here's I know what you're trying to do writing. Here's my vision and you know like one
person takes control of the property um including the parking lot and brings us a vision like was submitted before that can accommodate some of the things we want to do. So, you never know. >> Correct. No, thank you for that. Um, the appraisal, the real crux of the
appraisal is a um a threshold in the law that if the property is worth more than $35,000, then you have to follow a certain process. And if it's less than 35,000, it's another process. So, that's really the that's where the appraisal comes in.
The appraisal is not going to drive the value. The market's going to drive the value when we go to market. And so, you know, >> and when we're communicating to residents, I mean, I don't know. I just >> It was great. We Well, and now it's last year. Was it this year or last year?
>> It was spring. >> It was this year because we we had it ready for town meeting in April. So, that was the whole reason we did it. >> Yeah. >> To have a number for town meeting. So, >> is the 35,000 some archaic Massachusetts law that nobody's bothered to change?
>> Um, yes. >> Yes. I would agree. >> A tiny house. >> The idea is it's like if it's a small little tiny sliver of land perhaps that's been taken for tax title and somebody wants to add it on and it's not worth a lot of money. Think some you know that somebody can buy it adjacent
to their property. Things like that it's it's an easier process. But basically they're saying if it has any real value you have to follow a more rigorous process to dispose of it. >> Okay. We we support all municipal
modernization efforts. >> There's a new one >> with an aster Karen. >> I'm just going to say thank you in advance for all the hard work you're about to do and thank you for the calendar. That was very helpful >> and I agree with everybody. So >> outstanding. Thank you.
>> Yes. Speaking of the calendar, at least for me, unless you you left the biggest thing for the end, which is saying it's legally required. Otherwise, I was going to say that entire thing seems pointless between the time, effort, and energy that you're putting in to end up doing
that entire scale and reaching out and doing all this. Like, if the five of us up here are in agreement that we should lease it and it should be done XYZ, I don't see what the point of of any of that is. I understand it's a public process,
but like we kind of have the pulse of the community in in mind obviously and it's, you know, on something as big as this for us to potentially be unanimous. It seems kind of moot, but you must follow the process. That's what you're telling me. >> We do. We do like to follow the process.
Um, it's not going to be a huge lift. You'll take five or six slides to each board and have that conversation. But um what that conversation is driving is that we have done a thorough analysis and everybody is in agreement or you know it's sort of six of one half a dozen another. So, you know, it's a it's
a large piece of property um in the downtown and it is a historic piece of property and um to your point about the appraisal. The appraiser had to be certified with um >> except he didn't include any historical properties that were literally like two blocks away. But
>> he didn't they have to be certified. There's not a lot of appraisers that have that. So, >> anyway, yeah, it's it's a process. So, yeah, I understand what you're saying. I think even if even if the figure came back at double at 16, I still wouldn't sell it. That's my personal opinion. I
would have thought that that building with the parking and the parking across the street easily 2 million in my opinion. My house should not be worth more than this thing. Like that seems crazy. And I understand some work has to be done on um all the all the negatives
which why recal is existing still exist in this building. So I understand that. Yeah, way too low for me. >> I agree. >> Carla, >> I just want to note as you're going through this process that we have three flaws to lease potentially, not just
two. >> Yeah. >> And um just for clarification, so um restaurants do ground leases, right? And then they you do more commercial than I do. So like we could get somebody that
just says like you know that fish restaurant that's vacant up in North Reading. They could come in and they could that's not historical. They don't have to keep that building. But we could if we like what they presented they could lease the land. They could lease the building. They could add on we could give them a long lease as long as they
agree to do what the town would like them to do. And like it's not just a it's not just an existing space lease. That's why I wanted to understand if We can't do a lease longer than 30 years. >> Okay. >> Um Okay. So, you could do similar to other properties, we lease a 10-year
lease with the options to renew for additional 10 years, something like that. But, >> but like we got that unsolicited proposal and that was for more of a sale where they said we could do we could build this and do this like a 30-year lease. people build restaurants for 20 year leases and like really so
>> it could be it could open up some interesting >> I think that we'll get we it's our intention to bring back to you some options and then if the intent of the board is to lease it that's what I'm kind of hearing um you know we'll create yeah we'll craft an RFP that maximizes
our options but we'll give weight to community nonprofit use if that is the board's wish and we'll see what we get >> just to counter's point. Yes. If if if that is the case, the only not maybe downfall of that is that we'll have to give a lot of
concessions because of what's needed in the building to bring it up to code and everything else. So, it'd be great to get a single tenant, that's their parking, and they sign a 10-year lease with a 10-year option, but they're going to ask for a lot of TI money. They're
going to ask for free rent. That's just part of the negotiation. But yeah, that'll be potentially a use for a single tenant. And then the the build out and the upgrading of the HVAC and the restroom is all on them. We're just leasing them the shell and then they go
off and do it. Anyone else? Any public comment? Anyone online? Maddie? >> No hands online. >> All righty. So, we don't have a vote on this technically, but you get the pulse of the board and
>> it was helpful. >> Best of luck. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thanks. >> Right. So, moving on to uh 835, discuss and vote on amendment to select board policy section 3.2.24
hours of operation permitted sale of alcohol. Um, and Matt and I semi jumped the gun on this scenario, but the long and short of it is that um, uh, Matt and I went back and forth regarding the
comment that was given last uh, what last month. >> Yeah. >> On the old parties property. And it was there was an off comment made that um, brunch hours are at noon. And you know, like to me that didn't make sense. Why is it different on Sundays as opposed to
other days of the weeks? Um, and it looks as if state law was 10 of is the earliest that you can do is 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. And it is not a town bylaw. It is select policy that is driving the
hour change. So I thought we were good and in reality we did not adopt the 2010 ABA laws by town meeting or whatever. Yeah. >> Therefore, we cannot um vote on this.
But Nat is going to take a pulse to the board to see how we feel about potentially changing this and then craft something for April town meeting, >> right? >> Um where the the um that town meeting would see about potentially adopting the
2010 ABA thing that the state had ended up doing back then. Do I have that right? >> Yeah. Yeah. It's a local acceptance of a state statute like we do all the time, but town meeting has to do that. It can't be done by the board. So, you can't you can't vote on this tonight,
but if the post of the board is that that's something you want to move forward on, I would include it in the warrant for April and we can bring it to town meeting at the bylaw committee first and then town meeting um and ask them if they would accept that provision that would allow you to then go back and
change your policy to reflect that. So, we got a little bit ahead of it. Um, but we after discussing with Ira, she said, "Yeah, the state acceptance does apply and we checked with Laura to see if we ever accepted it before and we didn't."
So, that's where we're at. So yeah, it's some 2010 provision that the state ended up doing that we would have had to adop adopted back then or subsequent to that. But right, you know, >> and there may be a move with the, you
know, the state to change their law, but that's separate from our, you know, from our >> Yeah, that's where Matt and I went back and forth. There's uh a legislator or somebody has the same idea of just blanket changing it for the uh the entire state,
>> right? Oh, and that's the ABBA thing. >> Yeah, ABBA. Beautiful brunch pill or something. >> Yes. >> So, is this Oh, I'm sorry. >> I just I just have a quick question. Is this >> 10 a.m. for Saturday and Sunday or just Sunday? >> Just Sunday. >> Just Sunday. Yeah. >> And Saturday they can do it already?
>> Yes, I think so. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's just the Sunday. Sunday is it's 12 right now. Um to move it to 10, we would need essentially state permission to do But they can do a Saturday brunch. The Sunday brunch is the most common. We can do a Saturday brunch. Sunday. >> Okay. Thanks.
>> And we don't need permission. We just have to adopt that. And then >> Yeah. So it already exists. They've This has already been hashed out 15 years ago. We just didn't adopt >> that Sunday. >> Yeah. Karen,
>> does it matter about alcohol or does that include the alcohol that you can but most on a Sunday that you know >> that's what's included on >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I'm really slow to the uptick I guess. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah, we can do it every day of the
week other than Sunday. Um, so that start at noon. >> Melissa, >> so quick question. If we get this to town meeting for April and the pulse of the board is town meeting approves the 2010 changes that the state put in. It
comes back to our board and we approve it as a board. Then restaurants would be able to do brunch and serve alcohol starting at 10 a.m. Yes. Correct. On Sundays. >> On Sundays. >> Then they can already do that on Saturdays. >> I I believe so. I'll go back and look,
but I think this Sunday was the concern. Saturday, you could start selling earlier than 12. >> Question. Because sometimes I know when we do things with the state, if town meeting in April approves it, do we have to wait for the state to acknowledge it or can we just then vote
on it after the fact? >> You can. Well, we would vote to accept the the statute. There is a little bit of a waiting period between town meeting and when things are official, but it's not like a bylaw where we would have to send it to the attorney general's office
because it's one of your rules. You can go back and change your rule based on the town meeting vote. So, it could help him fairly quickly. I I can't tell the exact time. I'd have to talk to Laura about it, but >> Okay. >> Okay. Great. Thank you. >> Yeah. To answer your question, Melissa,
Monday through Saturday starts at 11 currently. So adopting this provision would allow us to do 10 for Monday through Saturday as well as Sunday. Currently Sunday is at noon. >> Okay. >> Um so the 11 would be able to be changed to 10. You can't go under 10 no matter
what scenario we do. >> Yeah, that's right. >> Can I just add something else? So reading didn't adopt the 2010 changes. Weren't those the changes made to the blue laws that would also affect the
Sunday opening of liquor stores or are they not the same? >> Um I I I think what it is I'm going back to try to read my emails. It's um general law chapter 138 section 33B. Um and if you accept that uh then it
looks like licenses under section 12 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12 on Sundays. So it allows you to do that on Sundays, the last Monday in May or on Christmas day or following or the following day with
>> I guess my question is >> we have liquor stores that are open in but we're not allowing the restaurants serving >> it's different it's liquor sales are very complicated. >> I understand they're different licenses but they're not under the same category.
>> They differently they govern differently. >> Okay. I can send you um some analysis that town council did on it so you can look at it. So >> thank you. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. A lot of this stuff doesn't make sense. >> Yeah. Essentially >> some of it's very arcane and it's hard
to explain. >> So I guess Karen >> So this is from Thank you. this is from our select word policies. Um so yeah there's a lot of license types here like sectionif section 15 license.
What kind of license is that? So these are all section. So I see what you mean. There's a section 15 license. I'm actually unclear on. >> So I mean here for a while. So would this process be kind of do we still even have all of these types of licenses.
Should we really like just like clean this up? >> I think we have most of them. Like I said, it's sort of arcane the way these liquor licenses go. Yeah. if you want. I mean, Ever is really the expert on these statewide, so I can have her explain those a little bit more to you, but
>> maybe she could advise us on which ones we don't need because yeah, they're all over the place. And then, >> yeah, >> do we really not allow restaurants to operate on Christmas? Like, I'm pretty sure like all bets were
off. They can do what they want, huh? There's a lot that we have to >> Sunday, >> right? >> And section 15 license is a package store. >> Oh, okay. >> They get to open at 10 on Sundays.
>> Yeah, it's all over the place because of the blue vase. You know, >> we still have some ramifications there. So, >> okay. But they're not open on Christmas Day. That's good to know. I was I was pretty sure I could go out on Thanksgiving and and get a bottle of wine like Okay. So,
>> well, >> that's what I'm thinking. Are these really old? We I know we haven't updated them. >> The policies are the policies we can look at. >> This was open at 9 on Sunday. >> Okay. So, yeah, these aren't even accurate. All right. >> And was the letter from the police in
here, Matt? I did I scroll past it? It was just I I ran it by the police department. chief and um a body I'm not sure if it was an email but they said that they were fine with the change on Sunday we went from 12 to 10 so and and
I can send that to you if I didn't put it in there we did check with the department >> I think we're all on board for this I can speak for everyone yeah >> yeah why not give it a try >> it helps the restaurants so >> make more money >> yeah okay
>> um I guess this goes to the more broader thing that there seems to be a lot of small nuance things that we should be changing, especially stuff that's hindering kind of growth and revenue generators. So, I'm happy that this was
brought up by um um I think I know it's Leora, I believe. So, I'm happy that this kind of uh thing was pointed out to us, and I hope in the future that other members of the public will just point out other things that kind of don't make sense anymore. the
silly string bylaw doesn't make sense to me, but you never know. Not going to go to >> not over a silly string bylaw. >> Okay, let's move on. >> Can I just add something else because I'm sorry this doesn't make sense and I'm not trying to be a pain here, >> but Mass General Laws chapter 138
>> holds all of this information whether it's related to a restaurant or a liquor store. So, did Reading adopt 138 section 15 to allow liquor stores to open on Sunday, but didn't adopt the other sections of 138?
>> I'll I'll send you um what it's a little complicated. I'll send you a scent on it. There's a few other sections that you have to read together. Um >> it's section 138 section 33 is on premise >> and then 33B, but 138 section 15 is for
liquor stores, >> right? Yeah. So, we only adopted one part of section 138. >> I'd have to go back and look and see what was adopted by town meeting back then. >> Okay. Yeah, if we could do that because that seems a little odd to me. >> Yeah, but we can clean I mean, we can
try to if there's other things to be adopted, we can clean the whole thing up. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that'd be great. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> I'll send you >> anyone from the public? Anybody online? Maddie, >> no hands online.
>> All righty. Matt has the pulse of the board. We'll see how this goes in the future. >> All right. Uh 855 discuss and vote on MBTA letter page 132 in the packet.
So this came up because um obviously uh Repy and Jones ended up sending a letter to Secretary Ang regarding the terack trap. Um, and with our vote uh the other night on the turnback track also, um, I thought it
would, uh, behoove us not to, uh, submitting our own form of letter, which is kind of tailored based off, um, what Rep. Jones and Hagerty had, but also applying it to, uh, what transpired that night.
Um, so does everyone have any comment on this addition, subtractions, anything? No, express mail. Let's go. >> Um, the only other thing, >> thank you. Um, since we're on this topic
of working with the MBTA is that, you know, um, they sent out um, a newsletter today and I actually paid attention this time because we were kind of told that the our MBTA board was it was all like internal stuff and there was no need for us to pay attention. So, we've been ignoring it and I think that was
obviously that was a mistake now. So, I read the newsletter and they will come out to your town and meet with you like doesn't have to be the way it's been this year. And so, I understand we have um the chair is by default the design and the town manager is by fault the
designate, but I would um and we could do this at a future update. I I we we need to pay attention. They have meetings coming up. It would be great. I'm not putting this all on you, but I'd be willing to start going to some of these meetings. Maybe we rotate. Maybe
Matt helps us out. I mean, Reading Reading, we're at lynch pin for this design. We should start going. >> So, we >> now that we know there's a design and a plan, >> I think Matt is going to say that we already have, but Matt, you can >> Yeah. Yeah. So, no, I understand that.
and they've been, you know, I I've been reaching out to them for a little bit to try to figure out, you know, who's on this board, how we participate. So, um, and it was even something that I mentioned to the IG when it came. So, since then, um, after a couple more emails and some calls, uh, the executive
director of that advisory board is coming to writing. I think it's next week. We just scheduled a meeting. So, we're going to meet with him next week and talk about all those issues. um how we can be more involved in the future and about our specific issue with the MBTA right now. So >> the whole because it gets to the last
all of this other stuff, it's been said a million times, but the last paragraph if we're collaborative, >> they are our um regional transportation authority and we have too limited bus lines and like there's so much the Eastern Gateway there's so much we should be talking to them about. So
thank I'm glad you're doing that. Yes. >> And we definitely it took a little bit but we're back on track on that. Okay, >> Melissa. >> Um, well, I agree 100% with Karen. We do clearly need to be paying more attention, especially with their station
here. I don't think that they approached this project with good faith effort. They should have reached out to us before they even presented the NOI and they did not. So, um I think their approach was poor and not collaborative
at all and um that's been unfortunate and put a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Um I fully support sending this letter. I do have um I do have an issue with just saying that
um we're okay with moving the location with the most recent information we've been given by the American Lung Association about how bad diesel trains are for our community. Um, and with knowing that the MBTA's plan is to give
us their old diesel trains from the Newbury Port line to put them on our our line and to allow them to idle in Reading or maybe just up in Wilmington if we could convince them to do that. I still don't think that that's a great
idea. Um, I would love for them to take this money and just invest it in uh either more uh uh climate friendly or trains or uh just not what their plan is right now. I
don't think it's great for anyone in town or a neighboring town to have diesel trains idling when they fully have admitted it's the oldest trains they have and the ones that were appointed in that um specifically talked about in that most recent report. So, I
really have a hard time with saying that we should just move it. I mean, we have to send this letter. That's no doubt in my mind. But um with their plan of the trains they want to use, I don't think that I would support them idling for
seven hours a day in our community or surrounding community at all. I don't think it's appropriate. >> Anybody else? I agree with Melissa to the especially since this group has made an an incredible um
impact and all the research, but I feel like there's a population of writing that hasn't been part of the discussion at all. the train riders. I've gotten letters and phone calls from people that not that they came in at the last minute, but if you then move it just to the train depot, that's impacting a
whole bunch of more people that were not involved in this conversation at all. And so, you know, I can hear the train st, you know, running up at my house in Upper London. So, I think if we could take just that sentence out, I mean, I I I agree with the letter, but I don't
want us to tell them, well, this is okay if we put it here. The last big paragraph, we urge the MBTA to reconsider alternative sites. >> Just alternative sites and then just leave it there because I don't want to say such as because then you're saying, well then it's okay if we put it there when we really haven't had that
conversation at all and I think that's >> that would encompass a whole lot of other people. >> Do you know what I mean? >> So move. >> Okay. >> Okay. Make the change. >> Yeah. So I guess with that change, Matt, if you end up circulating the CPAC
proclamation as well as this for signatures. >> Yeah, I I can do the CPAC one. >> We can use the stamps >> now. Or I can do the stamps. Yeah, whatever you >> do the stamps. >> Stamps. >> Okay, looks good. >> Yeah. >> Anyone from
>> I believe I do. I haven't used it, but I believe I do. Anyone from the public? >> Yeah. >> Two minutes. Name and address. Aaron Perry. Aaron Perry, 55 Hancock Street. Um,
awesome. I think, uh, kind of looking at a couple of the paragraphs, um, I had some feedback, um, if that's appropriate, um, to offer up. Um second paragraph um few words in we use in hundreds of residents. Um I would uh request that we change that to
thousands. We could provide the petition that we have circulated and collected signatures on. We have over 2,000 um digital and and physical signatures that I think if we uh added that list to accompany this letter that would be uh pretty impactful.
um fourth paragraph. Um similar questions or thoughts there that that Melissa brought up um as well where it's like my question is is it our job to say here's where we would want to see it versus saying like let's promote a conversation, right? We really want all
parties to come to the table. completely agree that the purpose of the meeting, the the special select board meeting, we really wanted to have all parties represented there, people in favor to talk about like the writers perspective, um you know, the MBTA and and the RTC.
So, absolutely love that we're trying to involve everybody there. So, I think really promoting that that spirit of having a collective conversation about what is the best for the community um makes sense. love that whole Eastern Gateway project. And I think that there's a real natural fit for this
there as well. Um, paragraph five, just a specific um, uh, point there where we say, "Respectfully request that the MBTA withdraw this proposal. Um, recommend changing that uh, to withdraw their current NOI and engage in a more collaborative." I think just being a
little bit more specific there. Um, and that's it. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Two minutes name and address. >> Mark Agony Lee Street. I'd like to echo uh Aaron's comments earlier, thanking
you for uh the unanimous 50-0 vote proposing the turnback location. Uh I thought that was a great meeting that uh I think the uh reaction from the audience in attendance uh was very
clear. um that the next step has to be the rescending of the NOI. Uh just as a reminder, November 12th is the deadline for the concom meeting and that's when the continuence
uh date is set for. So uh in about roughly one week or a little eight days um that NOI must be rescended or uh the the battle continues. So, uh, hopefully,
uh, that urges you to send that letter and push for that rescending of the NOI. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Lucas. >> Sure, >> uh, Lucas Pray 5 Hancock Street and just
want to say thank you. Very, thank you for giving us that meeting and letting us speak to everybody, right? Not just our group, but everybody. Um, so thank you. Honestly, thank you very much. And just to echo again, the Eastern Gateway
Project, bring in the MB uh MBTA into that conversation. It's a great fit. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anybody online, Maddie? >> Nobody online. >> All right. So, we have a couple
potential changes. So, we want to strike the line that Melissa and Karen had mentioned regarding the >> alternative location. alternative locations. >> You can get rid of the rest of the whole sentence. Make it shorter if you want. Sometimes shorter sentences are
powerful. >> I would I think that's a good idea to put the on the next change to put the NOI in there too specifically. I think that's a good idea. So yeah, and then after that the final paragraph, we appreciate your attention in this matter and respectfully request
that MBTA withdraw its NOI and engage in a more collaborative, transparent planning process with the town of Reading. >> We're adding thousands of residents. >> Oh, and thousands of residents up on >> paragraph two. >> Paragraph two sentence.
And I believe they sent over the survey stuff the other day, right? >> The petition. Sorry. >> Yes. Yeah, they did. Okay. Signatures. Yes. >> Attach that. >> So, if we can attach that to this as well. >> Sure. >> Everyone's good for that. >> Okie dokie. So, with those changes,
uh Karen, do you have a motion? Need a motion? >> Yes. >> Move to approve the MBTA letter as presented today. As amended today. >> Correct. >> Second. >> Second by Cameron. Any discussion?
Seeing none. All those in favor? >> Thank you and thanks M. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you everybody. Appreciate it. >> Great. Thank you Lucas. All right. Uh, next, uh, 9:05 November 1st Select
Board retreat debrief. Um, Matt Jane, did you have any opening thoughts on how you think everything had went on Saturday? >> Um, you know, briefly, it was your retreat, but I thought it went well. Um,
I think just the location and the facilitator really worked out well and that was something we had to work on sort of behind the scenes, but once we all got there, I think there was a lot of great discussion. Um, I was I was pleased that things were being brought up and I brought up a couple issues
myself that were addressed. So, I I appreciate that. Um, I I agree that it should be a regular process that we engage in at least once a year. Um, and we, you know, try to participate as best we can. So uh I I left there you know
hopeful and um and I thought it was a worthwhile exercise. >> Thank you Mr. Chairman. I would concur. I thought the the day was um pleasant and um and at times I think there were really important points that were
brought up that were addressed. I look forward to some of the items coming back for reaffirmation. Um, and I would uh wish that the board takes them on again and maybe uses the next session for goal setting to do some revisioning for the community and and come to consensus on
setting some some goals. So, it was really good work done. >> Thank you, >> board members. Karen, >> um, I thought it was great. I really like the moderator. Um, the questions he asked us I thought were thoughtprovoking and I
think goals I feel like we kind of respond as we go as opposed to like planning and I know I'm new and I'm sure that you know but I think now that recal and and all that's done you kind of take a side it's like oh my god what's next but you know
there's other things that you may not you know my goal is compost right now you know what I mean like I think that there's plenty of goals that may be small or large that I think we could kind of work towards them so when he asked the questions of you know three to five years. I'm thinking in my head, I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow, but um you know what I mean? But it really
made me think that we could probably have brainstorming session or something or maybe have the public come in with a brainstorming session because maybe they could send us emails. >> Alissa Carlo. >> Yeah, I'll go. I think Yeah, thank you.
Uh yeah, the venue was great. Um, and uh, we had breakfast and lunch catered and Jeff was good and we, you know, all got along great. Talked about a bunch of stuff that's been ongoing, how we can do better and um, yeah, it was, you know,
positive and we all got along and shared some laughs and Jeff was, you know, very good facilitator, you know, years and decades of experience. >> So, he knows what we go through, what we deal with, um, from many angles. So, it was nice to have that. I didn't know what to expect, who was going to
facilitate that, but it was nice to have somebody who sat in our seats, was a town manager, and just, you know, going to come at it from all the different angles that we deal with. So, it was good. >> Yep. I agree. Jeff was fantastic. Um, he
has a ton of knowledge that, you know, I think we only skimmed the surface of what he could probably provide us with. uh guidance on stuff. Um it was very interesting to me though when he his perspective of our like town finances
and how he his um thoughts of like writing is so much better than many other communities in the Commonwealth, which I was like, "Oh, okay. >> Good to hear." Yeah. >> Yeah. It was very good to hear his perspective on that. So that was great. And um I look forward to doing it again and I do think it should be a yearly
thing. Um, and I think that uh hopefully we can take a lot of the things he um the tools he suggested we use to move forward and I think it will be u good. >> Yeah. Great. >> So I appreciate it.
>> Yeah. Echo my fellow board members sentiments with Jeff. He was uh pretty fantastic and he knew about the whole uh wa the water oil spill, why we had to get, you know, get off of wells back
then. And um he did really know his stuff and he's been doing it since the 70s or something like that. >> 76 he said. >> Yeah, 76. I wasn't even born yet. Um >> yay. >> Sorry, Darren. Um but no, I think that
anybody who's looking for um a presenter or speaker or anything absolutely like this guy knows his stuff and um you know he's direct and frank at times with his institutional knowledge as well. So no definitely it was
phenomenal. The venue obviously I think it's Lynfield's community access television studio. The thing was like the the bathrooms in there are are better than million-dollar house bathrooms and everything. It was wild. The chairs much better than these things
like >> you know what I mean? You should have took some with you, Matt. >> I know. We'll see. >> You had the chance. You didn't take it. It's unfortunate. >> Um but yeah, overall it was a very um very successful meeting, I think. and uh
we finished earlier than we thought which is a different change of pace from the normal way that uh things have been going. So no I I think it should be an annual thing as well like I had referenced maybe doing it always the
first Saturday in November. Um so this way here new board members existing ones would be able to plan for having that kind of um you know thing on their schedule. So it's after you know after that someone's
been on the board like uh Karen was you know it's been like six months I think right so it's it's after she kind of gets her footing on this and it's right before town meeting which is obviously another important aspect. So, I think the November uh the first Saturday in
November date sounds like something that we should be doing going forward, >> right? So, >> we can reserve them early. >> Correct. >> I mean, we got lucky. >> Yeah, I think we got lucky. >> Get lucky because it was short notice, but >> yeah, >> we had them lined up before when we thought we were going to do it a year or
so ago. So, it was it was a natural to think, okay, let's same place, same guy. Let's get it done. >> Yeah. >> Okie dokie. So yes, a couple agenda items in the future um u that we took
out of that we'll be putting on the agendas for the future. So >> all right, moving on to leazison reports. Who wants to go first? Karen can.
>> It has not been a busy couple of weeks, but you know, I'll do the best I can. Um October 22nd Eastern Gateway meeting with the group we had before the forum. Um honestly I can't remember what we talked about. I think we just Oh, no. We
talked about the forum and the puzzle pieces that people could use. And then I went to the first 45 minutes of the forum on the 27th and um there was quite a few people there and um I I haven't gotten a debrief on what
happened, but I did see Andrew at the connected reading and he said it went really really well and there were some really good ideas from people. Um so I'm glad they did that and I'm glad it still went forward even though we had the other meeting. Um, on the 25th I went to the autumn moon festival at the library which was put on as part of the cultural
immersion series. Um, learned how to do ikiban and flower arranging and I was the guest at a formal tea ceremony and I had to get on the floor and I had to get up again. It was not that easy. Um, but Albert was
there to push me along. Um, it was a really nice event and really lovely people and I I I think they're going to do a few of these a year with different cultures and it was definitely worth going to. Um, I had a meeting with the Reading Compost Group, Judy Colman, and we discussed, you know, her prior
meetings and an and things to look forward to. So, we're going to start moving on that with some things and Chris Cole and getting that going townwide if we can. um MBTA turnback riding uh turnback track meeting connecting event which was really fun.
Ran into a lot of different people that I hadn't seen in a long time. Um uh attended the snow bylaw forum and I am not part of the I did not have to recuse myself because it doesn't impact my half of the street but um that was a pretty
good meeting and and you know I'm sure Carlo will speak to it as well. Then we had a retreat and then um last night I had a housing authority meeting um which was pretty brief and then just quick agenda talked about upcoming capital projects and things like that.
>> That's it. >> Okay. I um I attended the Eastern Gateway forum which was great to finally get in there and find out what was going on. And um I was at a table with um one of the RMLD commissioners and his wife that also had to leave to get to another
meeting. And so we dove in and we redesigned the Eastern Gateway in like a half an hour is awesome. And then I ran over to Kevin McCarthy and asked him to please call Trader Joe's and ask him where they wanted to be over there because at this point it's all pie in
the sky. And um so yeah, so instead of like the rumor of Trader Joe's duour, why don't we just reach out to them and say we are redesigning an area. Where would you like to be? So hopefully he can find time to do that and maybe they're interested. Um
so yeah, the MVTA turnback I was pleasantly surprised. Um I was I was happy that the COO came. I think his team has um repeatedly told us all they can and and and things were getting
heated. So I was presently surprised that the um COO was there to listen, which he did, and also so happy to hear from different voices that I hadn't heard from before and different concerns. So I thought that was very um
a very productive use of time. Thank you Jane and Matt for setting that up. Um um working a bit with the chair of the finance committee to um move forward on the uh financial policy review process
that um we said that we wanted to do and that the finance committee requested our approval of. Um I had an MMA fiscal policy committee meeting on the 28th. I have another one tomorrow. Um,
I have office hours coming up this Monday at the Pleasant Street Center from 12:15 to 1:15 and then I will be followed by the Star Act, Senator Lewis, but you know, I don't I'll be the warm-up act, so that's fine. Um and and the only other thing I wanted to do
is that I know we're not meeting again in November and um this month is also um I wanted to proclaim my appreciation for the military veterans and their families. That is al November is military veterans and families month.
So, um just ahead of our celebration, which I'm sure will be terrific, just wanted to reach out and thank um all of the Reading families and um the veterans that we have in our community for their service. Thank you. That's it.
>> Melissa, >> thank you. Um conservation meeting on October 22nd. As we know, um, MBTA asked for continuence on their notice of intent till the November 12th meeting. Um, during that meeting, recal or I'm
sorry, conservation discussed a grant opportunity to design and engineer the trail behind recal. So, they're going to go forward with that. Um, and unfortunately, material cabin still remains closed as of today. um the
special select board uh meeting for the MBTA turn. I am so happy we got that on and had it go forward. Um the turnback committee was really the driving force to that with Chris, Jane, and Matt. Um, I really think that that
was important for many reasons. Not only for the turnback committee to have a place to voice what they've been saying for a year now, but also for us to hear other residents and, you know, get other people's thoughts on it. Um, I am very
thankful that Ryan Colola, the CEO COO came. I really appreciate that because as we all know, he was walking into a room of people that probably were not so happy with him. So, I really do appreciate him coming and speaking and I do think that he truly
listened to what was being said. Um, I watched him and he really turned his whole body and listened to what residents were saying. So, I'm hopeful that he will take that back and um relay that to everyone at the MBTA. I'm also hopeful
that, you know, with the letter, I know Seth Molton's office has reached out to the MBTA, Brad Jones and Rich Hagerty signed the letter. Um, the state auditor has reached out and Secretary Ing has also given us some feedback that he's hearing us. So, cautiously optimistic
that they will halt this and hopefully we can uh do a more collaboration with them instead of that's kind of just being pushed on us. Um the 28th RCTV had their board meeting that I attended for a little bit. Um they had their fundraiser at Mandarin, raised about
$600 and then the board went into exe executive session for um Phil's yearly review. I've also had a contract meeting um the 29th and we have one tomorrow with uh for RCTV as well. And then on
October 30th, school committee um the Reading um high school marching band won first place in the division competition and they will be competing in the NESBA state championship. >> So spoiler how that ended. They came in
third place at the finals. >> Oh, at the NS. So that was >> Sorry, I did not follow up on that. >> I didn't have that information. I apologize. >> So it's still they they placed which was great. Well, third and division too. So, one of like eight or 12 other bands. >> Yeah, definitely.
>> Carla. >> Okay. So, I uh I did attend the snow bylaw meeting and spoke as a resident. I did stop by connected reading for a little bit. It was nice to see all the tables and a lot of the employees and other
organizations there. I spent an hour at the Automoon and Karen and I got to speak and I learned that they u they meet there every Saturday or reserve one of the rooms um I don't know if it's story hour of what what they do there I think story
hour to keep their culture going and keep their language going. We're all attending the turnback track committee that was great turnout. I'm glad that he came retreat we talked about and um and that's it. CPA met last night, but I was
unable to attend. So, I'll be caught up on that and report back at the next meeting. >> Thanks, Carla. Um, yeah, echoing the concerns uh regarding the MBTA meeting that we ended up uh all going to. I
think that at least for me, that was one of the, you know, top five votes here that I've been a part of in Reading. Um, and even though it was fairly symbolic, I think that, you know, having the full board
there participating in in in voting, I I hope that it sent the message and like Melissa said, I I think they were very receptive to this and that's all that we can ask for, you know, at this time. Um,
but I I do it was one of the more prder moments uh for me in reading. So, I'm glad that, you know, I was able to be a part of it and the obviously the RTC did the brunt of the work. I just gave them the vessel to do so. So, um the amount
of time, effort, and energy that they put in is just I I it's full-time jobs for like six people. Um and same thing with Melissa behind the scenes sending emails and everything that she's been doing. I mean, um, that there's a lot of moving parts going on and hopefully, you
know, we played a little role in in just not accepting the status quo um that typically happens when you when things are stacked against you. So, we'll see how this story plays out. Um, I also attended the connected writing event,
which was uh pretty phenomenal. I I like going around and speaking all the boards committees and seeing live uh there who I had no clue that she was so young and like knows her stuff which is pretty incredible. Um but yeah, Tom Forest, uh
CPA, you name it. Uh people were there. Um it had a really good turnout, so that was good to see as well. Um, and then obviously the retreat we mentioned. I just once again want to thank uh my board members for for being
there on a special Saturday morning like that. I can't think of anywhere else I'd want to be at 8:30 is other than Lynfield Marketplace on the second floor. Um, but you know, uh, I think we really did accomplish a lot and I think,
uh, judging by how this meeting has gone tonight, I think it's already having an effect. So, uh, and then lastly, Melissa mentioned the the band, but I was also going to mention that the, uh, Running Memorial High School football team did make the playoffs. They're the 14th seed. It's
you never know what could happen. Um, so, uh, the first game's away in Milton, I think on Friday or something like that. So, nothing here. That's all I got. >> All right. Future agendas. Page 133 in
the packet. Do we want to add RCTV contract to December 2nd? Think >> we probably should. Um, >> and hopefully we'll have things ready by then. So, no, >> because we're running out of time. So, we can add our CTV contract
agreement. >> So, on paper, we technically only have December 2nd, right? The 16th is being held for potential. holding the 16th, you know, just in case because you never know what might come up. But you do have the the budget presentations, but we've
been usually having exclusively budget happens both nights ago. >> But we'll hold the 16th as well in case we need it. >> Carl, we could always uh if if for some reason we're not ready for the second, we could
always meet an hour earlier on one of our other meetings if we need to. instead of having a separate night. It's just an idea. >> Oh, yeah. Like you mean on the third or the 9th? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I mean, if it's not ready the second, it's not going to be ready the third. >> Well, yeah. The nth. >> Be the ninth or even 16th, but
>> um Yeah. >> And then I forget how far are we pushing off the valet parking? >> Well, it so needs to do a little work on it. I talked to her this week, so she is working. She'll have a a memo with some further direction on it. So, it's it's
still happening. Um, but we just needed to figure out the best course of action to go forward with it. So, >> so I'm assuming not by the second. I may just go on to next year. Is that >> I'll see she if she has something before then, we may be able to do something on
the second. So, um I left it in her court to to give us a little more direction on it. >> Okay. And then if these are updates, not um >> agenda items. I think I asked this before, but I forgot to ask last meeting. pickle ball if we can get an
update. >> Yeah. >> On that, how that's going >> and maybe uh an update on Austin Prep, how they're doing over there. Just a quick update >> on how their construction is going. >> I know it's ahead of schedule. >> And what's that?
>> Construction's ahead of schedule. >> Ahead of schedule. Great. Okay. Yep. So AP and um in pickle ball update for a meeting. Okay. Anyone else?
>> Karen? >> Yeah. Um, so continuing these proclamations, um, December is Universal Human Rights Month. Um, maybe we could have a proclamation on that December meeting and, um,
wondering if I could get an update on the Burbank Ice Arena financials, which are due in November. might need to just ping them. >> Okay, >> that would tell us what we can expect for rent
until shar. >> Thank you. >> Okay, >> so I think we need a Burbank update in general for maybe that meeting or something. Whatever. >> I have a second. >> Second. Yeah.
>> Well, I gota assumed like there's been negotiations and stuff >> happening with the parking amendment. >> Yeah. >> No. Yeah. It's ongoing and there's lawyers on both sides. We're working it out. So, hopefully we'll have something for the second. >> Okay. >> So, can we get a draft? Have their board
seen anything like >> Yes. >> Can we get a draft then? >> Uh, I suppose. Let me check with council on that. >> Okay. Because if their board is already Well, >> yeah. Yeah, >> if their board is seeing something that you guys are already working on, then I would say that we can see it. >> Yeah. And there's just drafts going back
and so things are language is changing, but >> yeah, understood. Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Anything else? >> Oh, well, I guess well >> I guess you know for the public if anyone's watching uh tree lighting is
going to happen. >> Yes. >> Before >> That's right. >> Um our next meeting. Oh yeah. >> Which is always a great event. >> Um >> and well attended. Hopefully the weather cooperates. >> So that's a great town event that we do every year.
>> What is that? >> It's the the Sunday after Thanksgiving. >> Sunday after Thanksgiving. >> 30th. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. Yeah. I forgot to mention that. The tree light. >> Yeah. That's always a great turnout and I think people kind of know it already, but >> Yeah. >> Just in case. >> We push it out on social media.
>> Yeah. So that that's a great event. And then >> I am assuming that we're going to have another winter fest in the >> um late winter, early spring. >> That's I haven't talked to the chamber about it, but I know it was successful last year. >> Um so I think that is that is true. >> Okay.
>> And I think we have the um manural lighting scheduled for the 14th of December as well. So there'll be some more information on that as well. >> Okay. >> That makes sense. >> Okay. >> All right. So approve meeting minutes
page 134 in the packet. It's from October 16th and October 21st. I will start out. I had no changes. >> No changes. >> Did you get anything sent to you, Maddie, by chance or no for either?
>> I did not get any suggested changes for the 16th, but we did for the 21st. I can pull that up if nobody else has changes for the 16th. >> Anybody on the 16th? So, let's approve the 16th. >> Karen, do you have a motion for the 16th
minute? >> Move to approve the meeting minutes of October 16th, 2025 as presented. Second. >> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? 5. All
right. So the changes for October 21st. >> So it's just right at that bottom paragraph changing the word val uh worth to value. >> Okay, that's it. >> Yep. >> All right, Karen, do you have a motion
for amended minutes for 21st? Move to approve the meeting minutes of October 21st, 2025 as amended. >> Second. >> Second by Melissa. All those in favor? Discussion? >> Nothing. All those in favor?
>> Can I Sorry. Can I go real quick to back to the retreat agenda real quick? >> I guess so. As long as it's quick. >> Yeah. So at the retreat, you know, Jeff gave us a lot of input and advice and one was related to minutes. So as a
unwritten policy, I believe we had that if we're going to submit any changes, they have to be in advance so we can review them. So I think we have to stick to that because I was going to just go right to a motion for both of these minutes right away and we had a minor
change. So that was fine. But we we we waste a lot of time on minutes and Jeff gave us some really good pointers how to address that and I want to do that going forward. >> Thanks. >> I second that. >> Can I ask a question? >> Yes. >> So does that mean Maddie is going to
send us the the new ones in advance? >> No, I think it it kind of stays the way that it is. Otherwise then we know what everyone else is thinking and >> and then we just see them at the meeting. >> Yeah. How it was done right there is the precise way. How >> Okay. >> Not on the fly. Yeah,
>> I got you. >> No, I thought his advice was good. >> Yeah. >> Any other motions? >> Does it take that long? Really? >> Second. >> What is going on? >> It's his thing.
>> Motion by Carlo to adjourn. Second by Melissa. All those in favor? 5. Thank you. 101. 101.